Income Tax Dept Raids Residence Of Dainik Bhaskar's Owners, Hindi Daily's Office Premises At Various Locations

Income Tax Department is conducting searches on Dainik Bhaskar Group in connection with tax evasion case, at multiple locations, as per Sources.

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Bhopal: The Income Tax Department has raided the residences of owners of popular Hindi newspaper Dainik Bhaskar in Bhopal. Searches are being conducted on several office premises of the company as well.

Raids by the Income Tax Department were conducted at Bhaskar's Noida, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad offices.

Income Tax Department is conducting searches on Dainik Bhaskar Group. Searches are going on in connection with tax evasion case, at multiple locations including Promoters' residences and offices, sources said as quoted by news agency ANI.

As per early inputs, this is a major raid by the Income Tax Department and it is rumoured to be in a joint operation with Enforcement Directorate.

The phones of all the employees present in Bhaskar's office have been confiscated. Also, no one is being allowed to go out.

The opposition has sharply reacted over the IT raids, targetting the BJP-led Union government over the same.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the searches as an attempt to intimidate the media.

"Income tax raids on Dainik Bhaskar and Bharat Samachar are an attempt to intimidate the media. Their message is clear - those who speak against the BJP government will not be spared. Such thinking is very dangerous. Everyone should raise their voice against it. These raids should be stopped immediately and the media should be allowed to work freely," he tweeted.

"Raid jeevi ji,  Cowardly attack on freedom of press!  Income tax raids on Dainik Bhaskar's Bhopal, Jaipur and Ahmedabad offices now. The voice of democracy will not be supressed with "Raid Raj" Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala wrote on Twitter.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also commented on the issue by calling the raids: "Modi-Shah's attack on journalism!! Modi-Shah's only weapon IT ED CBI! I am sure the Agarwal brothers will not be afraid".

Besides the Bhaskar Group, the Income Tax department also conducted a search on Bharat Samachar News channel and its Promoters and Editor-in-Chief. Offices and residences of promoters are being searched, ANI reported citing sources.