India’s Income Tax officials raid at BBC’s Delhi, Mumbai office: Report

Indian Income Tax Department officials on Tuesday (February 14, 2023) conducted a survey operation at BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai, Zee News reported. 

As per the latest reports, the IT department is looking at documents related to the business operations of the company and those related to its Indian arm.

As part of a survey, the department only covers the business premises of a company and does not raid residences and other locations of its promoters or directors.

Meanwhile, Congress reacted to searches at the BBC office by the IT department and called it an "undeclared emergency".

The survey operations at the BBC offices come amid a controversy over United Kingdom's national broadcaster's documentary on Prime Minister Modi and the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Last month, the government had issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial documentary. Subsequently, the Supreme Court on on February 3 sought responses from the Centre and others on the separate petitions challenging its decision to block the documentary.

The top court had directed the central government to produce original records relating to its decision to block the BBC documentary. (Zee News)