BBC reacts to tax 'survey': 'Fully cooperating'; 'hope to have the situation resolved as soon as possible'

"Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating. We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible," read a short statement issued by BBC News Press Team on its Twitter handle.

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing Income Tax department 'survey' at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Delhi and Mumbai offices, the news media company Tuesday said that it was 'fully cooperating' and hoped to have the situation resolved as soon as possible.

"Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating. We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible," read a short statement issued by BBC News Press Team on its Twitter handle.

• The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating.
  
  We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible.

  — BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) February 14, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating.
  
  We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible.

  — BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) February 14, 2023

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  The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating.
  
  We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible.

  — BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) February 14, 2023

Officials from Income Tax Department searched the BBC’s offices in New Delhi on Tuesday, weeks after the British broadcaster released a controversial documentary about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, three members of its staff said. The employees asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Teams from the tax department searched the BBC’s offices in both New Delhi and Mumbai, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, quoting unidentified officials. They said the department is looking at documents related to the BBC’s business operations and those related to its Indian arm.

The raids assumed significance in the wake of the recent controversy surrounding the telecast of the BBC documentary "India: The Modi Question" on the Gujarat 2002 riots that took place during PM Modi's stint as the chief minister of that state. The government of India had earlier blocked a BBC documentary released last month examining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role during 2002 anti-Muslim riots. It also banned people from sharing it online.