Actors, producers not allowed to leave home or use gadgets
TNN | Updated: Jan 5, 2019, 08:03 IST
I-T raids continued at actor Puneeth Rajkumar’s Sadashivanagar residence on FridayBENGALURU: Income tax (I-T) raids on Sandalwood stars and producers continued for the second consecutive day on Friday. According to sources, searches were conducted at 28 locations.
Actors Shivarajkumar, Puneeth Rajkumar, Sudeep and Yash, and producers Vijay Kiragandur, CR Manohar and Rockline Venkatesh were not allowed to go out of their houses during the raids. Sleuths questioned them about money trail and their investments in various businesses. Family members too were not allowed to step out, nor were they allowed communication gadgets.
On Thursday, the search operations lasted for over 15 hours before being called off for the day. They resumed early Friday morning and continued till late in the evening.
I-T officials took Shivarajkumar’s wife Geetha to an undisclosed location. Sources said the raids were based on suspicion of suppressing of income, loss or faulty auditing of three big-budget movies released recently.
A few fans of Shivarajkumar landed near his house in Nagawara, shouting slogans in his support. Police sent them back on directions from I-T officials.
It is learnt that I-T sleuths have sought from the actors and producers information about their properties, payment modes and money trail. “The raids were conducted as transaction modes in the cine industry aren’t transparent. Also, some individuals from the industry have made investments in several businesses, including real estate and jewellery,” an official said.
The department is yet to make an official statement on the raids. On Friday, officials also questioned some other directors associated with the actors and producers under scanner. Sources said most of the questioning was about modes of payment. The actors were accompanied by their auditors while responding to queries from I-T officials.
With these Sandalwood biggies confined to their homes, sources said a few events are likely to be affected.
The audio launch of Puneeth’s movie Nata Sarvabhouma is scheduled to be held in Hubballi on Saturday. Director Pavan Wadeyar said he was neither able to contact Puneeth nor producer Rockline Venkatesh. I-T officials have confiscated the communication gadgets of the duo and have not permitted them to go out till the operations are over.
Pavan, however, said they are going ahead with the launch and is confident that Puneeth will make it to the event. “We have been preparing for 20 days and fans from across the state have already reached Hubballi. We are hopeful that Puneeth and Venkatesh will make it to the event,” said Pavan.
A reality TV show featuring Sudeep is scheduled for Saturday. But again, it can only be held if the raids conclude, the sources added.
Actors Shivarajkumar, Puneeth Rajkumar, Sudeep and Yash, and producers Vijay Kiragandur, CR Manohar and Rockline Venkatesh were not allowed to go out of their houses during the raids. Sleuths questioned them about money trail and their investments in various businesses. Family members too were not allowed to step out, nor were they allowed communication gadgets.
On Thursday, the search operations lasted for over 15 hours before being called off for the day. They resumed early Friday morning and continued till late in the evening.
I-T officials took Shivarajkumar’s wife Geetha to an undisclosed location. Sources said the raids were based on suspicion of suppressing of income, loss or faulty auditing of three big-budget movies released recently.
A few fans of Shivarajkumar landed near his house in Nagawara, shouting slogans in his support. Police sent them back on directions from I-T officials.
It is learnt that I-T sleuths have sought from the actors and producers information about their properties, payment modes and money trail. “The raids were conducted as transaction modes in the cine industry aren’t transparent. Also, some individuals from the industry have made investments in several businesses, including real estate and jewellery,” an official said.
The department is yet to make an official statement on the raids. On Friday, officials also questioned some other directors associated with the actors and producers under scanner. Sources said most of the questioning was about modes of payment. The actors were accompanied by their auditors while responding to queries from I-T officials.
With these Sandalwood biggies confined to their homes, sources said a few events are likely to be affected.
The audio launch of Puneeth’s movie Nata Sarvabhouma is scheduled to be held in Hubballi on Saturday. Director Pavan Wadeyar said he was neither able to contact Puneeth nor producer Rockline Venkatesh. I-T officials have confiscated the communication gadgets of the duo and have not permitted them to go out till the operations are over.
Pavan, however, said they are going ahead with the launch and is confident that Puneeth will make it to the event. “We have been preparing for 20 days and fans from across the state have already reached Hubballi. We are hopeful that Puneeth and Venkatesh will make it to the event,” said Pavan.
A reality TV show featuring Sudeep is scheduled for Saturday. But again, it can only be held if the raids conclude, the sources added.
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