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NEW DELHI: The income tax department continued its survey operations at the offices of the BBC in the national capital and Mumbai for the second day on Wednesday as the broadcaster asked staff to cooperate with the authorities, sources said.
They said only business-critical staff were allowed entry into the offices as the survey operation, which went on through the night, was still on. The surprise operation, linked possibly to tax deducted at source and foreign taxation issues, has triggered a war of words between the governing BJP and the opposition parties. tnn
Sources in the income tax department reiterated that it was a “survey” operation at the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai and not a raid saying the department was following laid-down rules. “A survey is undertaken only at the business premises while a search operation is conducted at the premises of promoters, senior executives of entities and also at places where evidence can be collected,” the sources pointed out.
They also said whenever the tax department undertakes survey operations, entry and exit points are sealed and mobile phones, computers and all electronic devices are kept at one place. “This routine and standard procedure for any survey,” said the source, rejecting reports that phones and laptops of employees were taken away.
The broadcaster sent emails to its employees asking them to work from home and only those employees who were critical for maintaining broadcasting operations were asked to be present, sources said. Employees were also asked to cooperate with the tax authorities and answer their queries.
BBC had issued a statement late on Tuesday confirming that income tax authorities remained at the offices of the broadcaster in New Delhi and Mumbai. They had also said that many staff had left the building but some had been asked to remain and they were cooperating with the ongoing inquiries. It had also made it clear that broadcaster’s output and journalism continued to be normal.
The I-T survey comes weeks after a massive controversy over its documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots. The foreign ministry had termed the documentary “a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative” and the Centre had asked YouTube and Twitter to block it.
They said only business-critical staff were allowed entry into the offices as the survey operation, which went on through the night, was still on. The surprise operation, linked possibly to tax deducted at source and foreign taxation issues, has triggered a war of words between the governing BJP and the opposition parties. tnn
Sources in the income tax department reiterated that it was a “survey” operation at the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai and not a raid saying the department was following laid-down rules. “A survey is undertaken only at the business premises while a search operation is conducted at the premises of promoters, senior executives of entities and also at places where evidence can be collected,” the sources pointed out.
They also said whenever the tax department undertakes survey operations, entry and exit points are sealed and mobile phones, computers and all electronic devices are kept at one place. “This routine and standard procedure for any survey,” said the source, rejecting reports that phones and laptops of employees were taken away.
The broadcaster sent emails to its employees asking them to work from home and only those employees who were critical for maintaining broadcasting operations were asked to be present, sources said. Employees were also asked to cooperate with the tax authorities and answer their queries.
BBC had issued a statement late on Tuesday confirming that income tax authorities remained at the offices of the broadcaster in New Delhi and Mumbai. They had also said that many staff had left the building but some had been asked to remain and they were cooperating with the ongoing inquiries. It had also made it clear that broadcaster’s output and journalism continued to be normal.
The I-T survey comes weeks after a massive controversy over its documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots. The foreign ministry had termed the documentary “a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative” and the Centre had asked YouTube and Twitter to block it.
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