Tribune News Service
New Delhi, 15 September
Income Tax Department officials conducted “surveys” at six Bombay and Lucknow sites related to Bollywood actor Sonu Sood.
Department sources said the recent agreement between Sonu Sood’s company and a Lucknow-based real estate company was in the works. “The investigation operation has been initiated on allegations of tax evasion,” a senior IT official said. The raids, by the way, come days after the Bollywood star held a high-profile meeting with Delhi’s chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, who declared him brand ambassador for his government’s mentoring program for school students in the capital. After the meeting, Sonu Sood had denied having any plans to delve into politics. During the closure, the actor had won praise for doing charity work and helping migrant workers reach their respective villages.
In reaction to the raids, Kejriwal tweeted: “… the truth always prevails. Sonu Sood has the blessings of the lakhs of families he had helped during his difficult times.” BJP spokesman Asif Bhamla , called it a search, not a raid. “The computer department is doing its job,” he added.