BBC has also admitted that it could have paid cheaper taxes than it should have. According to two CBDT officials who spoke to the Hindustan Times, a sister newspaper of Livemint, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) has been encountered to have violated tax laws.
BBC has also admitted that it could have underpaid taxes compared to what was owed. The broadcaster must follow a proper process to comply, which includes submitting updated returns and paying any fees, fines, and interest.
According to the HT article, the broadcaster which was supported by the UK government admitted in an email to CBDT that it had underreported income by 40 crore rupees on its tax forms.
According to CBDT authorities, there is no unique exception for either a press corporation or a foreign organization because the legislation is equivalent to every individual in the nation.
“BBC must follow the prescribed method or risk legal repercussions. The Department will keep acting against it up until the issue is resolved logically, an official said.
An income tax official claimed that BBC attempted to give the idea that the I-T sleuths’ actions were motivated by retaliation by the Central government, but the broadcaster has now tacitly acknowledged that the individuals in question were deliberately evading taxes and that the action was taken to stop their dishonest practice.
Officers from the Income-Tax division conducted a “survey” for possible tax evasion at the BBC offices in New Mumbai and Delhi in the middle of February. The executives had said at the time that the earnings and profits reported by the organization’s divisions were “not proportionate with the magnitude of operations in India.”
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Indian staff has been informed by BBC Director-General Tim Davie that the television network does not have an agenda and is motivated by purpose.
In addition, the British government supported the BBC and its operational independence, highlighting the value of free speech and the press in strong democracies.
Strong criticism of the documentary from the Indian government resulted in inspections of the British Broadcasting Corporation’s offices there, which some have interpreted as an effort to stifle criticism.
