BBC:-

The UK's national broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), is embroiled in a Tax evasion scandal in India. The Income-Tax Department has uncovered evidence of underreported income, equivalent to tax evasion, punishable by fines and recovery. In an email to the IT department, the BBC admitted to underreporting Rs 40 crores, signaling a possible failure to fulfill tax obligations. They must now comply with legal procedures, including submitting revised returns and settling outstanding fees, fines, and interest.

A senior CBDT official revealed that the BBC confessed to not reporting Rs 40 crore of income in their tax returns. However, the email lacks legal weight, necessitating the filing of revised returns for the matter to be taken seriously. The IT department emphasizes that media companies and foreign entities are subject to the same laws as everyone else, denying preferential treatment.

Initially, the BBC suggested the tax investigation was retaliation for a contentious documentary on the Gujarat riots. However, recent developments show the broadcaster informally accepting deliberate tax evasion. The investigation continues, with the authorities committed to pursuing necessary actions until a resolution is reached.

In February, the Income Tax Department conducted a survey at the BBC's Delhi and Mumbai offices, seizing phones and laptops. The survey focused on the business premises, excluding personal residences. The department accuses the BBC of non-compliance with transfer pricing rules and intentional violations.

Additionally, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a case in April, under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA), investigating foreign funding irregularities, Fund diversion, and violations of FEMA regulations issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

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