'Not so sasti anymore': Taapsee Pannu denies allegations days after income tax raid

Actress Taapsee Pannu, whose properties along with that of filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and Vikas Bahl, was searched by the I-T department in an impromptu raid on Wednesday, took to her social media to address the incident.

In a series of tweets, the actress categorically denied the allegations levied upon her.

She stated that there is no property in her name in Paris, or payment receipts to the tune of Rs 5 crore were made to her.

Taapsee also didn't recollect any raid in 2013, as claimed by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, she wrote.

The 'Thappad' actress went on to say that she isn't as 'sasti' (cheap) anymore, which is a reference from a dig taken at her earlier by Kangana Ranaut's sister, Rangoli, who had called her a 'sasti copy' of Ranaut.

2. The “alleged” receipt worth 5 crores to frame n keep for future pitching coz I’ve been refused that money before

— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) March 6, 2021

Properties of Taapsee, Anurag, and Vikas in Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad were searched by the I-T department on March 3 after an apparent detection of financial irregularities of over Rs 650 crore, an indirect statement from CBDT claimed.

The searches targeting Pannu and Kashyap, known for their outspoken views on a range of issues, are part of a tax evasion probe against Phantom Films.

They also covered Reliance Entertainment group CEO Shibhasish Sarkar and some executives of celebrity and talent management companies KWAN and Exceed, officials said.

The others searched included some employees of Phantom Films, which was dissolved in 2018, and its then promoters Kashyap, director-producer Vikramaditya Motwane and producer-distributor Madhu Mantena.

The business transactions of films made under the banner of Phantom Films are also being probed.

Kashyap and Pannu, who worked together in the 2018 film "Manmarziyaan", are currently filming "Dobaara", a thriller.

Meanwhile, The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has termed the incident as Centre's attempt to "harass" supporters of the agitation against farm laws. 

Others too claimed that voices of dissent were being silenced this way.

(With PTI inputs)