Income tax department raids Raghav Bahl’s premise; here's Quint founder's full statement to Editor's Guild

Raghav Bahl made a statement to the Editor's Guild and stated that he was heading back to Delhi. Raghav Bahl is the founder of media group "The Quint" and the Network18 group.

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New Delhi: The Income Tax Department Thursday conducted searches at the premises of journalist Raghav Bahl in connection with a case of alleged tax evasion. A team of sleuths raided the residence of Bahl in neighbouring Noida early morning and are looking for documents and other evidence related to the case under probe. Later, Raghav Bahl made a statement to the Editor's Guild and stated that he was heading back to Delhi. Raghav Bahl is the founder of media group "The Quint" and the Network18 group. Here is what Raghav Bahl has to say about the raids - I have a matter of great concern to share with the Guild. While I was in Mumbai this morning, dozens of IT officials descended on my residence and The Quint’s office for a “survey”. We are a fully tax compliant entity, and will provide all access to all appropriate financial documents. However, I have just spoken to the officer on my premises, one Mr Yadav, and requested him, strongly, to not try and pick up or see any other mail/document which is likely to contain very serious/sensitive journalistic material. If they do that, then we shall seek extremely strong recourse. I do hope the EG will back us on this, and thereby set a precedent for any such exercise that may happen on any other journalistic entity in the future. They should also not misuse their smartphones to take unauthorised copies of this material. I am now on my way back to Delhi. Warm regards. Raghav Many senior journalists expressed serious concern over the raids. It is reported that the searches are being conducted at the premises of a few other people as part of the ITD action to probe tax evasion by a set of business professionals.