Indian tax officers searched the BBC’s bureaus in New Delhi and Mumbai on Tuesday, weeks after the government banned as propaganda a BBC documentary critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in 2002 riots.
People working with the Broadcaster claimed, as reported by Reuters, tax officials were speaking with the accounts officer and no one was allowed to leave.
During the search, television news crews set up outside the BBC office near Connaught Place in central Delhi to report developments, as police and private security guards tried to keep order and prevented dozens of journalists from entering the compound. However, Income Tax Department official clarified that it was a ‘survey’ and not a ‘search’.
What is the difference between ‘survey’ and not a ‘search’?
The Income Tax Act of 1961 includes provisions for both surveys and searches to investigate cases of tax evasion. Section 133A and Section 133B of the Act allow for an IT survey, which is limited to business premises only. During an IT survey, tax authorities can verify books, documents, stock, and place identification marks, but cannot seize any of them.
On the other hand, an IT search conducted under Section 132 of the Act involves a thorough examination of residential or business premises to gather evidence of tax evasion. During an IT search, authorities have the power to seize assets, books of accounts, and documents if they suspect them to be related to undisclosed income. Unlike an IT survey, an IT search can be conducted on both residential and business premises.
IT department website claims searches are conducted when:
Any person to whom a summons or notice was issued under the IT Act to produce, or cause to be produced, any books of account, or other documents and has omitted or failed to produce, or cause to be produced, such books of account or other documents as required by summons or notice.
– Any person is in possession of any money, jewellery, or other valuable article or thing representing – either wholly or partly income or property – which has not been disclosed for the purposes of the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922.
Fully cooperating: BBC
Meanwhile, the BBC said it was “fully cooperating” with the IT officials. The broadcaster hopes to have the situation resolved as soon as possible.
“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 Twitter.
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