The Income Tax Department (IT) on the 3rd of March raided premises linked to filmmakers Anurag Kashyap, Reliance Entertainment group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shibhashish Sarkar and Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu. The searches were being carried out in over 30 locations in Mumbai and Pune. Besides them, the search carried out at the properties of Madhu Mantena and Vikas Behl.
The search were carried out in connection with the 2018 dissolved film production company named Phantom.
According to the sources, Charges of tax evasion have been brought against the now-dissolved film production company. Searches, which began on Wednesday morning, are being conducted at the offices of these agencies and residences of the people associated.
The raids were condemned by several political leaders, opposing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP.)
The Mharashtra Cabinet Mnister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik alleged the Narendra Modi led Central Government behind the IT Raids at Mr. Kashyap and Ms. Pannu’s houses.
He said the house of Bollywood celebrities Anurag Kashyap and Taapsee Pannu were raided by the Income Tax officials because they spoke against the Narendra Modi-led government.
The NCP leader alleged that the I-T raids were an attempt to suppress the voices of dissent. The National Communist Party (NCP) leader said, “The premises of Anurag Kashyap and Pannu have been raided. Both were raising their voices against the Modi government. This action has been carried out to suppress their voices.”
Mr. Mallick said, “Central agencies like ED, CBI, and Income Tax are being used to target those who take an anti-government stand and speak against the policies of the regime.”
