Chennai: The Income Tax Department on Thursday raided popular hotel and restaurant chains such as Saravana Bhavan, Hot Bread, Anjappal and Grand Sweets on charges of alleged tax evasion.
Officials said the raids were being carried out at 32 locations. The residences and offices of the directors of these food chains are being raided by a team of over 100 I-T sleuths, the officials said.
These hotels serve some of the best south Indian delicacies, including cakes, pastries and sweets that are even shipped abroad, a senior official said. The officials added that the department is looking into allegations of suppression of income by these groups by various means and hence decided to conduct searches and obtain further evidences.
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the Sandalwood film industry was in a state of shock on Thursday after Income Tax officials swooped down on homes of producer Rockline Venkatesh and power star Puneet Rajkumar. Residences of KGF star Yash, film producer Jayanna, actor Sudeep and Shivrajkumar were also raided. Eight officers, who arrived in two vehicles, raided the house of Venkatesh in Mahalakshmi Layout and Rajkumar's residence in Sadashivnagar.
Initial reports stated that there were allegations that the producers are investing huge money in film production in an attempt to convert their black money. It is said that they were also making large profits that went unreported.
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