Income Tax (IT) officials have searched the BBC Delhi and Mumbai offices today. The income tax officials have seized phones and laptops.
According to reports, a team of IT officials reached the BBC Studios office in Kalina Santacruz around 11.30 am. There have been over 100 employees that have been working the morning shift. The employees have been held back at the Delhi bureau office.
BBC News Press Team has recently shared a tweet from its official Twitter handle saying, “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 tweet added.
The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating.
— BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) February 14, 2023
We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible.
Additionally, The majority of employees belong to editorial teams. The employees who have been working the afternoon shift have been asked to work from home.
In another office of Mumbai in Khar the BBC employees were asked to go home. The employees are not allowed to enter the Mumbai office of the BBC at present due to the ongoing search.
This move by the IT department comes after the UK broadcaster’s documentary series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Additionally, the ministry blocked the first episode of the documentary on YouTube, and Twitter was asked to block more than 50 tweets containing links to the video on YouTube
The Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi too took to Twitter and wrote, “At the time India holds the Presidency of the G-20 nations, PM Modi continues to brazenly show India’s slide into authoritarianism and dictatorship.”
“Raids on BBC, the clean chit to Adani, tax cuts for rich, people’s homes being bulldozed, inequality and unemployment on the rise”, the tweet added.
At the time India holds the Presidency of the G-20 nations, PM Modi continues to brazenly show India’s slide into authoritarianism and dictatorship. Raids on BBC, clean chit to Adani, tax cuts for rich, people’s homes being bull dozed, inequality and unemployment on the rise.
— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) February 14, 2023
Another Twitter user said, “A documentary exposing Narendra Modi who became Indian PM by defrauding all Indians is a coward who went behind BBC for showing the truth about his manufactured gen0cide in Gujarat 2002. He directs an IT raid on BBC. Guilty conscious conduct of Narendra Modi. #BBC #Emergency“
