BBC I-T Survey HIGHLIGHTS: Income Tax Action At BBC's Mumbai, Delhi Offices End After Nearly 60 Hours
BBC IT Raid LIVE: The Income Tax Department has conducted surveys at the offices of BBC across the country. Follow this space for
Income Tax officials exit BBC office on Delhi's KG Marg as the survey on the BBC offices in Mumbai and Delhi ends after almost 60 hours.
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday hit out at those criticising the Income Tax survey at the offices of BBC, saying some people trust foreign news outlets but not Indian investigative agencies. (PTI)
ITBP personnel have been deployed outside the BBC office on KG Marg in Delhi.
ITBP personnel have been deployed outside the BBC office on KG Marg in Delhi.
The BBC has tweeted amid the Income Tax Department's survey at their offices saying several employees had left the premises last night but were asked to cooperate with the enquired of the tax agency. It added, "Our output and journalism continues as normal and we are committed to serving our audiences in India."
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that infringement on press freedom can embarrass our nation globally.
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has said: "It's a matter of concern what's happening in the country. Now, BBC is attacked, it has extraordinary credibility. Still, people listen to BBC in villages. Centre must reveal the reasons behind the raids. It'll bring bad name to the nations. The situation is quite serious."
Income Tax surveys at the BBC offices have been going on for over six hours now.
A top-ranking British government official has said that they are closely monitoring reports of tax surveys conducted at the offices of the BBC in India
The Editors' Guild of India has voiced its concern over the Income Tax surveys at BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai. "The EGI is deeply concerned about the IT “surveys” being carried out at the offices of BBC India. Is distressed by the continuing trend of government agencies being used to intimidate and harass news organisations that are critical of ruling establishment," it tweeted.
Any media organisation operating within India will have to follow the rules and the law of the land, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said on Tuesday. "The Income Tax department lawfully carried out raids at the BBC office. The IT department is no longer the 'caged parrot' as the Supreme Court had said about government institutions during the Congress rule," he said. "The BBC has become the most 'Bhrasht Bakwaas Corporation' in the world. Unfortunately, BBC's propaganda and Congress' agenda are on the same lines. Today, India is attaining great heights under PM Modi's leadership and some sections do not like this. The BBC has all rights to do journalism in India, but they will have to abide by the law of the land," Bhatia was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
We are fully cooperating. We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible," BBC tweets amid Income Tax surveys at its Delhi and Mumbai offices.
Employees and journalists at BBC have been asked to work from home till further orders amid the survey by the Income Tax department.
Reacting to the Income Tax survey at BBC offices, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said that "BBC's propaganda coincides with Congress's agenda."
"The constitution of India gives the right to BBC to do fair journalism, but the agenda is run under its guise," he added.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav called the Income Tax survey on BBC offices an "ideological emergency".
"The news of the BBC raid is a declaration of 'ideological emergency'," he tweeted.
One of the employees confirmed ABP Live that a 10-12 membered Income Tax team are conducting the ‘survey’.
Income Tax officials reached BBC's Delhi and Mumbai offices today and are doing verification of certain documents in the Account and Finance Department.
The Dept has impounded a few mobile phones and laptops/desktops of persons of the account and finance department, reported news agency ANI.
The Income Tax department is conducting "multiple raids at multiple places" but did not specify the exact locations of the BBC offices where, sources told ABP News.
The BBC employees at the Mumbai office have been asked by the Income Tax officials to sit at one place and not use mobile phones to contact anyone as they said that a "survey raid" was underway after they received complaints of irregularities, sources told ABP News.
Congress party termed the Income Tax survey as "undeclared emergency".
"First came the BBC documentary, it was banned. Now IT has raided BBC. Undeclared emergency," it said.
During the investigation, mobile phones of all the employees present in the BBC office were seized. The data of the computer kept in the accounts office is being scrutinised.
No worker is allowed to go out.
According to Income Tax sources, Income Tax team has reached for verification of some things, this is the survey of Income Tax team.
Background
BBC I-T Raid LIVE Updates: The Income Tax Department has carried "survey raids" in BBC offices at several locations across the country including Delhi and Mumbai. The raids come close to heels with the documentary released by the British broadcaster on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the 2002 Gujarat Riots.
According to sources in the Income Tax department, the officials have visited the BBC office for verification for a survey.
Teams of Mumbai Police have also been deployed outside the premises in Mumbai to anyone from leaving or entering. It has also been learnt that apart from Delhi and Mumbai 'survey raids' are being conducted in other parts of the country as well.
Last month, the British Broadcating Corporation had released a two-part documentary series titled 'India: The Modi Question' which examines the 2002 Gujarat riots, in which thousands of people were killed and millions left homeless, particularly within the Muslim community. The documentary aims to explore the role played by the government of then-chief minister Narendra Modi during the riots.
The first episode of the documentary aired on Tuesday, January 17. The second part of the docu-series was scheduled to be broadcast on January 24, two days ahead of India's Republic Day.
The Centre criticised the documentary calling it a "propaganda piece" and questioning the purpose and the agenda behind it.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said the BBC documentary has "not been screened in India" and "lacks objectivity".
The Indian government had issued directions for blocking multiple videos and tweets sharing links to the documentary.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued orders for blocking multiple YouTube videos of the first episode of the BBC Documentary on PM Modi and the 2002 Gujarat Riots. It also asked Twitter to block over 50 tweets with links to these YouTube videos.
Sharing the information on Twitter, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Kanchan Gupta on Saturday said that the documentary is ‘hostile propaganda and anti-India garbage’.
The move was met with criticism by the Opposition parties with Congress calling it "censorship".
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