Bengaluru: IT raids underway at multiple locations over suspected tax evasion 

In a significant crackdown on suspected tax evasion, the Income Tax Department is conducting simultaneous raids at multiple locations in Bengaluru, and Karnataka. Over 15 teams have been flown down to Karnataka’s capital for the raid. The focus of the raids remains on tax evaders. Earlier, the IT department had conducted similar raids in the last week of September, where the officials raided several private information technology and biotechnology companies. 

The raids have been going on since the early hours of Wednesday (October 4) and the officials have been raiding several places simultaneously including Vijayanagar, BTM Layout, Hulimavu, Sadashivanagar, and Sankey Tank among others. For the coordinated raids at more than 15 locations of the capital city, officials have been deployed who arrived in Bengaluru from Chennai and Delhi overnight.

The focus of these raids appears to be on private companies, their owners, and jewellers suspected of evading taxes. Currently, both residential and office premises are being searched as part of the ongoing investigations.
The Income Tax Department is tight-lipped about the specifics of the operation, however, it is suggested that these raids are part of a broader crackdown on tax evasion in the region. Further details are expected to emerge as the investigations progress in the later part of the day.

On September 27, similar raids were conducted by IT department officials at several locations in Bengaluru which included premises of private buildings in C. V. Raman Nagar, Bagmane Tech Park, office of Lenovo among others. The raids focused mainly on corporate companies allegedly involved in tax evasion and submitting wrong inputs. 

(This is breaking news, more details to follow)