Tax Survey At BBC Offices Triggers Slugfest Between BJP And Oppn, UK ‘Monitoring’ Situation

The Earnings Tax Division on Tuesday performed a survey operation on the BBC’s places of work in Delhi and Mumbai to research alleged tax evasion simply weeks after the broadcaster aired a two-part controversial documentary “India: The Modi Query” on the 2002 Gujarat riots. 

The motion sparked a political slugfest between BJP and Opposition events, with Congress calling it “intimidation ways” and AAP saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reached the “heights of dictatorship”. Then again, BJP launched a fierce counterattack, calling BBC the “most corrupt” organisation that has little regard for India’s Structure.

READ | Income Tax Dept Issues Statement On Surveys At BBC Offices In India, Flags Repeated Non-Compliance

Earnings Tax Survey At BBC Places of work: Prime Developments

• The Earnings Tax Division motion started at 11 am at BBC places of work in Delhi and Mumbai. Officers clarified that it was a “survey” and never a “raid”.
• In an announcement, the I-T division stated the survey was being carried out to research points associated to worldwide taxation and switch pricing of BBC subsidiary firms and the diversion of earnings. It additional acknowledged that BBC had been served with notices prior to now however was “defiant and non-compliant”.
• The I-T division acknowledged that the important thing focus of those surveys is to “look into manipulation of costs for unauthorised advantages, together with tax benefits”.
• BBC workers have been prevented from leaving or coming into their workplace premises and their cell phones and different devices have been seized. BBC has requested all its journalists and staff to work at home until additional orders.
• British authorities sources stated the UK was “intently monitoring” the scenario despite the fact that there was no official assertion launched.
• The BBC stated it was “absolutely cooperating” with the Earnings Tax authorities and hoped that the scenario can be resolved “as quickly as attainable”.
  
• The Editors Guild of India stated the motion was a continuation of a “pattern” of utilizing authorities businesses to “intimidate and harass” media shops important of the ruling institution.
• Congress stated the tax survey at BBC places of work “reeks of desperation and reveals that the Modi authorities is frightened of criticism”. CPI(M) chief Nilotpal Basu cited a 2013 tweet and assertion by Narendra Modi the place he in contrast the credibility of BBC with that of Doordarshan and stated that residents of India consider extra within the information revealed and telecast by BBC.
• Union Minister Anurag Thakur stated nobody was above the regulation and asserted that the Earnings Tax division conducts surveys every now and then wherever there are some irregularities.
• The 2-part BBC sequence, “India: The Modi Query”, was taken down from public platforms final month after the Centre invoked emergency powers underneath IT Guidelines. The federal government slammed the documentary as “hostile propaganda and anti-India rubbish”.

ALSO READ | Undeclared Emergency, ED Raids On Hindenburg Next?: Oppn On Income Tax Survey At BBC Offices In India