Income-tax officials raided the residences and offices of Bollywood actresses Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra in Mumbai on Monday. Sources said that they had been investigating the offshore incomes of the actresses for the last two years and also suspected that the two had taken a portion of their payments for work in cash.
The raids, by the investigation wing of the I-T department, started as early as 7.30 am on Monday morning. Around 10 teams simultaneously raided over 12 premises in Yari Road, Juhu, Bandra and Lokhandwala Complex areas, including the offices of the actresses’ assistants and event management companies. The raids, reportedly made in connection with suspected tax evasion, shall continue on Tuesday as well, sources in the I-T department said, and added that the income-tax authorities were investigating whether or not the actors had paid taxes proportionate to their income.
According to the sources, the I-T department has questioned Chopra’s father and her former personal assistant. Her lockers have also been searched, along with the offices of two talent management companies that had apparently handled events for the two actresses.
According to sources, the I-T authorities will be examining the actresses’ tax returns for the last two years. They have seized their bank statements, documents relating to various properties and investments, as well as details of their contracts. I-T authorities are trying to match their income with the taxes that the actresses have paid.
“The department suspects that the two had taken a portion of their payment in cash, thereby concealing the actual income. The department is also finding out if they had falsely shown any part of their income as earned outside the country in foreign shows. Artistes and certain other professionals get a certain percentage of exemption for income earned abroad,” said a source.
According to him, the I-T department had found cases earlier as well, where some actors had adjusted their fees for acting in films in the country and combined them with payment received for performing in shows abroad to evade some amount of income-tax.
The media representatives of Kaif and Chopra have said that they do not have any official statement to give as of now.