IT dept searches premises of media baron

New Delhi: The Income Tax Department searched media baron Raghav Bahl’s home and office on Thursday in connection with a case of alleged tax evasion, officials said. A team of I-T sleuths raided The Quint founder’s premises in Noida and are looking for documents and other evidence related to a case of “bogus long term capital gains (LTCG) received by various beneficiaries”, they said.
Apart from Bahl, three other “beneficiaries” and professionals, J Lalwani, Anoop Jain and Abhimanyu, are also being searched. Their business links to offshore entities are being investigated, the officials said.
Bahl, who was in Mumbai at the time, shared his “great concern” with the Editors Guild and said dozens of IT officials descended on his 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.” They should also not misuse their smartphones to take unauthorised copies of the material, he said. (PTI)