Tamil television channel Jaya TV in Chennai woke up to quite some shock on Thursday, November 9, morning as Income Tax officials began searches at its office. About 10 IT officials are said to have entered the channel's office in Ekkatthuthangal around 6 am and are currently looking through the place.
Speaking of the raids, the IT officials said that they were acting on a tip-off, which said that the channel had evaded taxes. "We have confirmed information about concealment of income and tax evasion. We have been monitoring the activities of the TV channel as well as its senior officials," an official of the department told the Times of India.
Jaya TV is also suspected to have created shell companies, made dubious investments, and tweaked its accounts.
#TamilNadu : Income Tax raids continue at Jaya TV office in #Chennai's Ekkaduthangal in a case of alleged tax evasion pic.twitter.com/IETuuTuqxH
— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2017
IT raid going at Jaya TV and Namadhu MGR offices in Ekkaattuthangal in Chennai
— Karthigaichelvan S (@karthickselvaa) November 9, 2017
A total of 12 places, except TTV house, but all others including JayaTV, house&office of Vivek (Ilavarasi son), Res of his sister in TNagar& Pugazhenthi in Bangalore are all being raided by I-T for alleged money laundering via newly floated shell companies @IndianExpress
— Arun Janardhanan (@arunjei) November 9, 2017
Meanwhile, AIADMK Karnataka in-charge's house in Bengaluru is also being raided.
AIADMK Karnataka in-charge, Pugazhendi's house being raided by Income Tax department in Bengaluru's Domlur pic.twitter.com/0d67gjIEgK
— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2017
It is also being said that raids are being conducted at nine other companies across the state. "Yes, the search is on. This is a part of our operation called clean money. I cannot give any further details now," another official told the Hindu.
People are watching everything, they understand what is going on. If the Centre thinks they can destroy us by conducting such raids, they are day-dreaming: TTV Dhinakaran pic.twitter.com/oALm1R4PBq
— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2017
Overall, 180 locations in 4 states -- Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh -- are being searched.
Apart from the office, IT officials are also searching Sasikala's nephew Vivek Jayaraman residence in Chennai and Jazz Cinemas, which is also owned by her family.
The channel was initially started by former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, Jaya TV is now controlled by imprisoned AIADMK leader VK Sasikala's family.
More details awaited
