Indian authorities accuse BBC of tax evasion after searches
Associated PressNEW DELHI — India’s Finance Ministry accused the BBC of tax evasion on Friday, saying that it had not fully declared its income and profits from its operations in the country. “The department gathered several evidences pertaining to the operation of the organization which indicate that tax has not been paid on certain remittances which have not been disclosed as income in India by the foreign entities of the group,” the Central Board of Direct Taxes said in a statement. The BBC said in a statement that it would “respond appropriately to any direct formal communication received from the Income Tax Department.” “We are supporting staff -– some of whom have faced lengthy questioning or been required to stay overnight -– and their welfare is our priority. Reporters Without Borders, an international media watchdog, denounced the government’s action as “attempts to clamp down on independent media.” “These raids have all the appearance of a reprisal against the BBC for releasing a documentary critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi three weeks ago. The documentary, “India: The Modi Question,” was broadcast in the U.K. last month, examining the prime minister’s role in 2002 anti-Muslim riots in the western state of Gujarat, where he was chief minister at the time.