I-T surveys at BBC offices: The tax authorities are going through documents to check irregularities related to international taxation and Tax Deducted at Source transactions, an official said.

The Income Tax Department Tuesday conducted surveys at the premises of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in Delhi and Mumbai in relation to alleged tax evasion and irregularities pertaining to international tax and TDS transactions, officials said. The surveys began around 11 am.

“Surveys, not searches, are being conducted at the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai,” a senior official of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said.

The tax authorities are going through documents to check irregularities related to international taxation and Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) transactions, another official said.

In Delhi, the gates of the office were locked and no one was allowed the enter as authorities questioned employees. All electronic devices were analysed.

The survey action by the tax department against the British broadcaster comes weeks after the BBC released a documentary named ‘India: The Modi Question’. On January 20, the Centre ordered YouTube and Twitter to take down links sharing the documentary, with officials saying it has been found to be “undermining the sovereignty and integrity of India” and has “the potential to adversely impact” the country’s “friendly relations with foreign states” and “public order within the country”. The documentary focuses on Modi’s and his then state government’s response to the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The Income Tax Act empowers officials to enter any premises of the assessee, such as residences, shops, factories or offices for a search and seizure operation. Surveys, which are conducted under Section 133A of the Income Tax Act, take place only on business premises. Surveys start during normal business hours, whereas searches can be conducted any time of the day. During surveys, I-T officials look into documents such as books of accounts, bank accounts, cash, stock and non-valuable documents.

Earlier on Tuesday, in an exclusive interview to news agency ANI, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had responded to the BBC documentary on PM Modi. “Conspire as much against the truth as you want, it will come out shining like the sun. These people are after Modiji since 2002. But every time Modiji has come out clean and become more popular,” he had said.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) launched an operation codenamed ‘Operation Eastern Gateway’, which involved developing the intelligence over a substantial period of time to bust the smuggling modus operandi. A syndicate based in Bangladesh, Tripura, Assam and West Bengal was smuggling huge quantities of Gold from Bangladesh to India through Indo- Bangladesh border in the state of Tripura.

In the operation, various teams of DRI were strategically placed at different locations in the states of West Bengal, Assam and Tripura including at Indo-Bangladesh border so that the modus operandi used by the smuggling syndicate could be unearthed.

On the basis of intelligence inputs, 8 persons of the syndicate were identified and in a simultaneous and well-coordinated operation at three locations all the 8 persons were apprehended red-handed.

The team at Siliguri apprehended four persons, while they were travelling in a train from Badarpur Junction in Assam to Sealdah, at Dalkhola Railway Station in West Bengal and recovered 90 gold strips from their possession, collectively weighing 18.66 kg, valued at Rs 10.66 crores. These strips were hidden in specially-tailored waist belts worn by each of them.

Simultaneously, the team at Agartala apprehended one person who was driving a four-wheeler near Indo-Bangladesh border near Agartala and found two gold bars weighing 2.25 kg, valued at Rs 1.30 crore, clandestinely concealed in a special cavity built under the driver side front door.

Yet another team of DRI at Karimganj in Assam apprehended three persons while they were travelling in a train from Agartala to Sealdah and seized eight bars of gold weighing 3.50 kg  valued at Rs 2.03 crore, from their possession.

In the said operation, smuggled gold cumulatively weighing 24.4 kg, valued at approx. Rs 14 crore, was seized and all the eight apprehended persons were arrested. Further investigations are going on. The all-India gold seizure by DRI in this financial year has crossed 1,000 kg.

A recent tweet by CNBC-TV18 started that sources say the GST Council to deliberate on the GoM report for the constitution of the Goods and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT).

Recommendation of GoM

• GST Appellate Tribunal will be created for hearing appeals against orders passed by the Appellate Authority or the Revisional Authority
• Principal Bench of the Appellate Tribunal shall be situated at New Delhi; to be presided over by the President and shall consist of a Technical Member (Centre) or a Technical Member (State)
• Jurisdiction to hear appeals against the orders passed by the Appellate Authority or the Revisional Authority in the cases where one of the issues involved relates to the place of supply shall lie only with the Principal Bench
• Principal Bench, shall constitute of such number of Benches at such locations in States/areas as may be recommended by GST Council, based on the request of State Governments
• Each Bench of Appellate Tribunal shall consist of a Judicial Member and a Technical Member (Centre) or a Technical Member (State)
• Alert: GST Council To Meet On February 18

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 139 read with section 295 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) notified Income Tax Return Forms vide notification number 04/2023 dated 10^th February 2023 for Current financial year 2022-23 and Assessment Year 2023-24.

ITR Forms, ITR-1 SAHAJ, ITR-2, ITR-3, ITR-4 SUGAM, ITR-5, ITR-6, ITR-V and Indian Income Tax Return Acknowledgement, have been notified vide this Notification