Anurag Kashyap and Taapsee Pannu questioned by the Income Tax Department at a hotel in Pune
Mrunal Jadhav
Pune, March 3, 2021: The Income Tax Department is tightening its grip on Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and actress Taapsee Pannu in the alleged tax evasion case. Officials from the I-T Department have questioned Kashyap and Tapsee regarding the same in Pune.
According to sources, both of them were interrogated at a hotel regarding the alleged tax evasion case. The Income Tax Department raided the houses of Taapsee Pannu, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, and Madhu Mantena. Besides, offices of Phantom Films and talent hunt company KWAN were also raided.
Officials informed that raids have been carried out at around 20 locations in Mumbai and Pune in connection with the investigation of the tax evasion case.
Phantom Films was founded by Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, producer Madhu Verma Mantena, and Vikas Bahl. Subsequently, in March 2015, Reliance Entertainment bought a 50 per cent stake in the company. Many hit films were produced under the banner of Phantom Films, but the company was finally dissolved in 2018 when Vikas Bahl was accused of sexual harassment.
Hit films like Lootera, Queen, Ugly, NH-10, Masan, and Udta Punjab were produced under the banner.
Later, Kashyap started a new production company called ‘Good Bad Films’, while Motwane started a company called ‘Movement Films’.
Many Maharashtra politicians have criticized the raids.
Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik said that income tax raids at Anurag Kashyap’s and Tapsee Pannu’s houses were an attempt to suppress the voice of those who spoke against the Narendra Modi-led Central government.
“Central agencies like ED, CBI, and Income Tax Department are being used against those who take a stand against the government and speak against their policies,” the minister told reporters outside Vidhan Bhavan in South Mumbai.
“Kashyap’s and Pannu’s houses were raided. Both have been raising their voices against the Narendra Modi-led Central government,” Malik added.
