IT Dept Conducts 'Survey Operations' at BBC's Delhi, Mumbai Offices; Congress Calls it 'Undeclared Emergency'

The Income Tax Department officials on Tuesday conducted a survey operation at BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai.

New Delhi: The Income Tax Department officials on Tuesday (February 14, 2023) conducted a survey operation at BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai. 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.

The Income Tax officials are reportedly doing verification of certain documents in the Account of the Finance Department of BBC. 

As per reports, they have also impounded a few mobile phones, laptops, and desktops of employees in the account and finance department. They will reportedly take a backup of the electronic devices and hand it over back to the persons.

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

Congress, TMC react after BBC Office in Delhi Raided by IT Dept 

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

पहले BBC की डॉक्यूमेंट्री आई, उसे बैन किया गया।

अब BBC पर IT का छापा पड़ गया है।

अघोषित आपातकाल — Congress (@INCIndia) February 14, 2023

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra also took a jibe at the Narendra Modi-led government and said, "Reports of Income Tax raid at BBC's Delhi office. Wow, really? How unexpected."

Reports of Income Tax raid at BBC's Delhi office

Wow, really? How unexpected.

Meanwhile farsaan seva for Adani when he drops in for a chat with Chairman @SEBI_India office. — Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) February 14, 2023

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.