The Income Tax department will continue grilling Taapsee Pannu, Anurag Kashyap, Madhu Mantena and Vikas Bahl today. The IT department raided the residences and offices of these celebrities in Mumbai and Pune on March 3. Both Pannu and Kashyap were grilled for more than 6 hours on Wednesday. As per sources, the profits made by them did not match the returns filed by them. The searches are likely to continue for three more days.
The IT department conducted searches on people related to Phantom Films for tax evasion. Twenty-two locations were raided in Mumbai and Pune, including of talent management agency Kwan.
According to inside sources, officials are keeping a back-up of every digital evidence they found during the searches. The sources revealed that questioning of individuals is taking place based on the evidence that they already have.
IT officials went through volumes of documents and electronic data on Wednesday associated to Anurag Kashyap, Taapsee Pannu, Madhu Mantena and Vikas Bahl. The officials seized laptops and documents for evaluation. The IT team left Anurag Kashyap's residence after almost 11 hours of investigation. The celebrities were summoned through a notice after the searches were concluded. Kashyap and Pannu were questioned the entire night.
Phantom Films was a film production and distribution company established by Anurag Kashyap. Vikramaditya Motwane, Madhu Mantena and Vikas Bahl in 2011. Reliance Entertainment picked up 50 per cent stake in the company. Vikas Bahl was accused of sexual harassment and Phantom Films was dissolved in 2018.
Phantom Films released critically acclaimed films including Lootera (2013), Queen (2013), NH10 (2015), Ugly (2013), and Masaan (2015).
Also read: Income tax raid at Taapsee Pannu, Anurag Kashyap, Vikas Bahl's residences
Also read: Anurag Kashyap, Taapsee Pannu questioned in tax evasion case, bank accounts under scanner