Anurag Kashyap, Taapsee Pannu Income Tax raids: Here's why 'Tax Chor’ is trending online

Several netizens used the hashtag 'Tax Chor' to take a jibe at Anurag Kashyap and Taapsee Pannu who are currently under the I-T department scanner.

Pic Courtesy: Instagram

New Delhi: A day after Income Tax Department officials raided the properties linked to filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, actress Taapsee Pannu and producer Vikas Bahl, the agency released an official statement alleging a discrepancy worth Rs 350 crores. 

In the official statement released by the I-T department on March 4, they claimed that evidence of "huge suppression of income" by the leading production house has been uncovered. “Evidence related to manipulation and under-valuation of share transactions of the production house amongst the film directors and shareholders, having tax implication of about Rs. 350 crore has been found and is being further investigated.” 

“Evidence of cash receipts by the leading actress amounting to Rs 5 crore has been recovered. Further investigation is going on. Apart from this, non-genuine/bogus expenditure to related concerns by the leading producers/director having tax implication of about Rs. 20 crore has been detected. Similar findings have been made in the case of the leading actress also,” it added. 

Soon after the official statement was released, ‘Tax Chor’ started trending in India. Several netizens used the hashtag 'Tax Chor' to take a jibe at Anurag and Taapsee. Here are some of the reactions:

Bollywood will soon become history#IncomeTaxRaid #TaxChor pic.twitter.com/iB23aZz0Cn — Pankaj Gulati (@panky101) March 4, 2021

#TapseePannu was reading Arnab's WhatsApp chats in Jan 2021. Now, Income Tax dept. is reading her chats... Too much fun  #TaxChor pic.twitter.com/b4L8Y7iIZ1 — stranger (@amarDgreat) March 5, 2021

Roses are Red,
Violets are Blue,
Lets become #TaxChor Me & You!@taapsee @anuragkashyap72pic.twitter.com/vkXakwWXE6

— Gaurav Mishra (@IAmGMishra) March 4, 2021

Roses are Red,
Violets are Blue,
Lets become #TaxChor Me & You! pic.twitter.com/HquOS6wcR5 — Ganesh Pawar (@ganeshspwr) March 5, 2021

Anurag Kashyap and his partners who launched the now-shuttered Phantom Films are under scanner in connection to a tax evasion probe. The I-T raids were also conducted at properties linked to Madhu Mantena’s KWAN Talent Management Agency in Mumbai. Around 28 premises including residences and offices are being searched. Two leading film production companies, a leading actress and two Talent Management companies in Mumbai are under scanner.