₹20 crore tax evasion by Sonu Sood & associates: Income Tax Dept's charge

The I-T department said actor Sonu Sood & his associates had evaded tax worth over ₹20 crore. The Central Board of Direct Taxes said evidence related to tax evasion was found during searches. CBDT said ₹1.8 crore cash have been seized & 11 lockers placed under 'prohibitory orders’. “The main modus operandi followed by the actor had been to route his unaccounted income in the form of bogus unsecured loans from many bogus entities,” CBDT said in a statement. The I-T dept had conducted search operations on premises linked to Sood across the country. CBDT said 28 premises in Mumbai, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jaipur, Delhi, Gurugram were searched. The tax department had initiated its action against the Bollywood star on Wednesday. AAP, Shiv Sena have hit out at Centre for the action & alleged Sood was being targeted. The actor had been involved in multiple welfare work ever since Covid lockdown was imposed. Sood recently became an ambassador of AAP's mentorship programme meant for students. AAP leaders including Delhi CM Kejriwal tweeted in support of the 48-year-old actor.