As the Income Tax department’s ‘surveys’ at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) offices in Delhi and Mumbai continue for the second straight day, it is learnt that some staff members have been asked to cooperate in the investigation into alleged tax evasion.
Last night, the BBC shared update of the ongoing investigations by the income tax officials at its office in Delhi and studio in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex.
“The Income Tax authorities remain at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai. Many staff have now left the building but some have been asked to remain and are continuing to cooperate with the ongoing enquiries”, the BBC tweet read.
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“We are supporting our staff during this time and continue to hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible. Out output and journalism continues as normal and we are committed to serving our audiences in India”, the broadcaster added.
On Tuesday, the income tax officials carried out ‘surveys’ at the BBC office in central Delhi and at the BBC studio in Mumbai. An income tax official told HT that it was a survey and not a raid. Another official said the I-T department was probing matters related to the broadcaster based on inputs of alleged irregularities.
According to income tax officials who chose to remain anonymous, the survey was carried out to probe alleged tax evasion by BBC, including transfer pricing rules violations. There was also diversion of profits by the broadcaster. In simple words, transfer pricing refers to transactions between geographically dispersed units of an MNC.
The income tax survey comes days after the Modi government banned a controversial documentary by the BBC on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, an all out political slugfest has exploded over the I-T survey. While the ruling BJP has termed the BBC as the ‘most corrupt organisation’, the opposition has claimed there is an ‘undeclared emergency’ in the country.
