The Income Tax department, on Wednesday, raided the Mumbai office and Lucknow company linked to Bollywood actor Sonu Sood. The income tax raid happened just a few days after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal appointed the actor as the brand ambassador for his government's mentorship program for school students in the nation's capital.
Tax evasion allegations against Sonu Sood
According to a report published in NDTV, a recent deal between Sonu Sood's company and a Lucknow-based real estate firm is currently under the scanner. The report also noted that there is a suspected case of tax evasion in this deal.
"A recent deal between Sonu Sood's company and a Lucknow-based real estate firm is under the scanner. The survey operation has been initiated on allegations of tax evasion on this deal," said a source in the Income Tax department.
Sonu Sood's suspected political entry behind Income Tax raids?
In the meantime, fans of Sonu Sood, on social media platforms, have started alleging that Sonu Sood's meeting with Arvind Kejriwal could be the reason behind these tax raids. They also claimed that the Income Tax department is trying to frame the actor who is involved in many philanthropic activities.
However, after the meeting with Arvind Kejriwal, Sonu Sood revealed that he does not have any plans to join Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) now. But political experts believe that the AAP is very much keen to portray Sonu Sood as the party's face in Punjab during the next year's election.
As the raid received mixed reactions from the general public, BJP spokesperson Asif Bhamla revealed that the Income Tax is an independent department that is doing its job.
"Any personality can meet anyone. It is just a search, not a raid. It's on a tipoff. It's not necessary that the person who heads the charity has done anything wrong... It must be something at the lower level. Income Tax is an independent department, which has its own protocol. It is doing its job," said Bhamla, NDTV reports.
