The Income Tax (IT) department officials on Wednesday carried out searches at 30-odd properties and locations linked to Anurag Kashyap and Taapsee Pannu in Mumbai and Pune for alleged tax evasion, while the filmmaker and actress were questioned by the IT officials in Pune.
In a development that is being seen an act of vendetta against Khashyap and Taapsee who have been vociferous critics of the Narendra Modi Government, the IT officials simultaneously zeroed in on several premises in Mumbai and Pune which are linked to erstwhile Phantom Films that was co-promoted by Anurag Kashyap, producers Vikas Bahl and Madhu Mantena, an event management company and a talent management company.
Kashyap and Taapsee were questioned by the IT department officials in Pune in connection with the searches conducted at various places.
Official sources attributed searches to the available information that the IT department had received that the movies made by the productions were showing disproportionately low income, in spite of the fact that their films were hits at the box-office.
The premises of Exceed Entertainment, which is being managed by actor Saif Ali Khan, were searched, while some executives of Kwan Talent Management that manages actor Deepika Padukone and other actors were questioned.
When asked about the IT raids conducted on premises linked to Kashyap and Taapsee, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said at a news briefing in New Delhi: “The Income Tax department probes someone based on whatever information they get. The issue goes to court later”.
On allegations that the searches on premises belonging to Kashyap and Taapsee were an off-shoot of criticism of the Government, Javadekar said: “This is too much.”
Known for his anti-establishment views, Kashyap has long been a critic of the Narendra Modi Government, while Taapsee has minced no words when it came to the criticism of the Centre on social media platforms. Both of them have supported the formers’ agitation which has been going on the outskirts of the national Capital since November 26.
Kashyap had also raised his voice against the Citizenship Act. Last year, Kashyap extended his support to actress Rhea Chakraborty in the Sushant Singh Rajput suicide case.
So much so that Taapsee had hit out at the Government for the manner in which it was running down international pop star Rihanna’s tweet drawing attention to the farmers’ agitation. Taking to twitter, the actress had said: “If one tweet rattles your unity, one joke rattles your faith or one show rattles your religious belief then it’s you who has to work on strengthening your value system not become ‘propaganda teacher’ for others”.
The IT raids on the premises of Kashyap and Tapsee evoked instant protests across the country. Condemning the raids, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav tweeted: “They ( the Modi Government) first employed IT, CBI, ED to conduct raids on vocal and upright political rivals for their character assassination. Now Nazi Govt is chasing social activists, journalists & artists to threaten them against calling spade a spade”.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Minister Nawab Malik slammed the Modi Government saying the way in which raids were conducted in the homes and offices of Anurag Kashyap and Taapsee Pannu was definitely misuse of its agencies against those who take a stand against the Government or its policies. “Anurag Kashyap and Taapsee Pannu have raised their voice against the Modi Government’s policies. This action is an attempt to suppress their voices,” Malik said.
Senior Congress leader and Cabinet Minister Ashok Chavan dubbed the income tax raids against Anurag Kashyap and Taapsee Pannu as an act of retaliation against the critics of the Modi Government.
Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Yashomati Chandrakant Thakur said those who speak in their (the Government’s) favour were “good” and the ones who spoke against were “traitors”.
