New Delhi: ‘Surveys’ by officials of the Income Tax department at the New Delhi and Mumbai offices of the British Broadcasting Corporation are still on at 11 am on February 16, almost 48 hours after they first started at 11.20 am on February 14.
The move comes weeks after the BBC released a documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the 2002 Gujarat riots titled, ‘India: The Modi Question.’
The Union government had blocked the documentary on YouTube and Twitter. The external affairs ministry had called it “propagandist agenda,” to which the BBC said the documentary “was rigorously researched according to highest editorial standards.”
On Thursday, members of the Hindutva body the Hindu Sena – which once made news for organising a birthday party for former US president Donald Trump – gathered at the BBC’s New Delhi office to stage an agitation in support of the surveys.
Members of Hindu Sena stage a demonstration outside BBC office in New Delhi, in support of the Income Tax department's "survey"
pic.twitter.com/vWeLnYh2he— Ahmed Khabeer احمد خبیر (@AhmedKhabeer_) February 16, 2023
In the intervening period since the surveys started, various journalists’ bodies and independent observers – globally and within the country – have expressed deep concern with the move and its timing.
Unnamed UK government sources told the news agency PTI that it is “closely monitoring” the situation. The US state department too noted that it was aware of the survey and spoke on the importance of press freedom.
US State dept on #BBCSurvey
We are aware of the search of the #BBCOffice in #Delhi by Indian tax authorities…We support the importance of free press around the world. pic.twitter.com/nDoHJhA6jz
— Smriti Sharma (@SmritiSharma_) February 15, 2023
Unnamed Indian government sources and named representatives have also spoken to chosen publications, alleging that the survey is “follow up and not vindictive” (as reported by Reuters) and that it is being carried out to “investigate issues related to international taxation and transfer pricing of BBC subsidiary companies” (as reported by Times of India).
Answer questions honestly and directly: ‘BBC internal memo’
Reuters has further reported that BBC World Service director Liliane Landor sent an internal memo yesterday, saying the Income Tax Department was conducting a survey of the organisation’s “tax status and affairs in India”, with which the BBC was cooperating fully.
“If you are asked to meet with the officers you should answer their questions honestly and directly. Questions about the BBC’s structure, activities, organisation, and operations in India are within the remit of the investigation and should be answered,” Landor said in the note, which was reportedly seen by Reuters.
“It goes without saying that you should not delete or conceal any information on any of your devices.”
It was initially reported, including by the news agency AFP, that some BBC employees and staffers had had their devices seized by the I-T officials during the surveys.
“It is important to note that no indiscriminate seizure of mobiles, laptops and digital gadgets can be done at will by the tax officials during a survey. Only books of accounts and documents can be impounded subject to a reasoned order,” advocate Deepak Joshi noted in an analysis for The Wire.