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BBC reacts to income tax 'survey' at Delhi, Mumbai offices: ‘We hope to have…’
The Income Tax Department on Tuesday conducted a survey operation at the BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai as part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion.
The BBC News said on Tuesday it was fully cooperating with the Income Tax department, which is conducting a survey, at its offices in New Delhi and Mumbai.
"The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating," the British broadcaster said on Twitter. "We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible," it added.
The Income Tax Department is conducting a survey operation at the BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai as part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion.
The visit from tax officials comes less than a month after the BBC released a two-part documentary, India: The Modi Question, which looked at the 2002 Gujarat riots, and was dismissed as the Indian government as “propaganda”.
A Central Board of Direct Taxes official confirmed to HT that officials were at the BBC office in New Delhi. “It is a survey and not a raid,” he said.
A second official said that the department was investigating “certain matters related to BBC based on definite inputs of some irregularities”. “Surveys are conducted to ascertain these irregularities. Only after completion of survey, it would be ascertained whether there are any deliberate irregularities or not,” the second official said, asking not to be named.
As news spread, onlookers and media crews were seen outside the BBC office at central Delhi's Kasturba Gandhi Marg. In Mumbai, the office is in Santa Cruz.
As part of a survey, the I-T Department only covers the business premises of a company and does not raid residences and other locations of its promoters or directors.
'Don't spew venom': BJP to BBC
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the BBC should not “spew venom” while operating in India.
"The BBC indulges in anti-India propaganda," Bhatia told reporters. “India is a country which gives an opportunity to every organisation... as long as you don't spew venom.”
Bhatia also rejected the Congress's criticism of the I-T action and said the government agency should be allowed to do its job.
Hitting out at the London-headquartered public broadcaster, he said BBC is the "most corrupt" organisation in the world, adding that the Congress should remember that the then prime minister Indira Gandhi had also banned the broadcaster.
We condemn 'intimidation tactics': Congress
The Congress termed as “intimidation tactics” the survey operation at the BBC offices and alleged that the action shows that the Narendra Modi government is scared of criticism.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that while the party is demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe on the Gautam Adani issue, the “government is after the BBC”.
He also used a Hindi idiom to attack the government, saying "Vinash Kale, Vipreet Buddhi" (When doom approaches, a person's intellect works against his interest).
Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the IT raid at BBC's offices "reeks of desperation and shows that the Modi government is scared of criticism".
(With inputs from agencies)
