Day 2: I-T Department may question BBC's senior management today
Amid growing uncertainties regarding the Income Tax Department's alleged survey at the British Broadcasting Corporation's (BBC) offices in Delhi and Mumbai, the officials continued the operation for the second day on Wednesday. Reportedly, the survey is being held in connection to alleged tax evasion by the United Kingdom's national broadcaster, and senior BBC management will likely be questioned on the matter on Wednesday.
Why does this story matter?
The raids by the I-T Department came just weeks after the Central government banned the controversial BBC documentary India: The Modi Question, labeling it colonial propaganda. Meanwhile, I-T officials claimed that the raids were part of a tax evasion investigation. Last week, the Supreme Court officially dismissed a plea by Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta seeking a total ban on BBC in India.
BBC shoots emails to employees; I-T searches enter second day
According to NDTV, the BBC sent an email to its staff asking them to work from home while the I-T Department continued its search for the second day. It also informed them that they could refrain from answering questions about their personal income, but they were asked to answer other salary-related questions. Per sources, the department is reviewing account information dating back to 2012.
Long day for BBC staff as searches go on overnight
According to reports, officials searched the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai overnight and into Wednesday morning as they went through documents. Reportedly, many employees were held in their offices for hours by I-T officials on Tuesday and their phones and laptops were also seized. Meanwhile, the BBC said they were cooperating fully with the department and supporting their efforts as well.
Fully cooperating with I-T Department: BBC
"The income tax authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating. We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible," the BBC said on Tuesday.
Will share details once survey ends: I&B Minister Anurag Thakur
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur has also reacted to the criticism surrounding the raids, saying that no one is above the law of the country. "The Income Tax Department conducts surveys from time to time where irregularities are found and when the survey work is completed, it issues a detailed press note," he said referring to the survey on BBC offices.
Media bodies, Opposition criticize BJP over raids
Soon after the BBC's offices were searched on Tuesday, various political organizations and media bodies condemned the raids. The Editors' Guild of India (EGI) termed the raids a part of a larger pattern of using government agencies to intimidate journalistic organizations that are critical of government policies. However, the BJP's national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia termed BBC "the most corrupt organization in the world."
UK monitoring situation; US says can't comment
The United States (US) has stated that it is aware of the I-T raids at BBC offices in India but made no comments on the situation. US State Department spokesperson Edward Ned Price said he was not in a position to comment but asserted that America supports the significance of worldwide press freedom. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom government said it's "closely monitoring" the situation.
BBC documentary triggered controversy
The I-T department's survey was launched only a few weeks after a controversial BBC Modi documentary was released, which infuriated the BJP-led Centre. The documentary questioned the role of Narendra Modi as CM of Gujarat during the 2002 riots that resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 people, predominantly Muslims.
SC rejected PIL seeking complete ban on BBC in India
Last Friday, the Supreme Court of India rejected an appeal seeking a complete ban on BBC in the country for its documentary on PM Modi and its allegations regarding the 2002 Gujarat riots. An SC bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Sanjiv Khanna called the PIL, filed by the Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta, "completely misconceived."
