Pre - Deepawali fireworks for Tamil Film Stars – Income tax raids
The enforcement agencies seem determined to spoil the festive atmosphere in the country. Just before Dushera, the CBI swarmed on unsuspecting government officials and spoiled their puja and deewali. This Deepawali government officers are afraid to accept even the conventional sweet packets, for there may be a CBI sleuth round the corner to catch them red handed. But yesterday it was the Income Tax sleuths who gave the fire works to the glittering stars of Tamil Cinema. It was a different tune for AR Rahman, the internationally acclaimed music director, when the IT authorities whisked him away to their office, not exactly for a song. Though figures are not readily available, it is reported that the raids of about 20 stars did not fetch more than a Crore of rupees- something that CBI manages routinely even in its leaked raids. Either the stars are not really all that reach as compared to some other sections or they know where to keep their money - away from the prying eyes of gate crashing Income Tax officials. The Department used about 300 officers to conduct the raids.
A nagging question – “Is the Income Tax department aware of a group of people called politicians who normally don’t do anything for a living like the rest of us, but who by some strange magic are forced to live with huge sums of money that lands up in their lap for no fault of theirs?”