KOCHI: The Income Tax (IT) department has launched a probe against producers and distributors of the Malayalam blockbuster film Manjummel Boys to check tax evasion, months after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) probed the money laundering angle following reports of inflated ticketing figures.
The IT investigation unit in Kochi on Thursday carried out a search at the office of Parava Films which produced Manjummel Boys and Dream Big Films, the distributors of the movie in Kochi.
The search that started in the morning continued till evening. According to IT officials, the ED conducted a probe against Shawn Antony, Soubin Sahir, and Babu Sahir -- under the banner of Parava Films -- and referred IT to examine the income tax evasion aspect.
IT conducted a preliminary probe following the direction of ED. It was claimed that the movie made a collection of Rs 250 crores. However, the amount paid as tax did not resemble the amount declared by producers and distributors. Saubin was present at the office when IT officials reached the place for the raid.
In April this year, Maradu police, after being directed by a court in Kochi, registered a case following a complaint by Aroor native Siraj Valiyathara. Siraj had invested Rs 7 crore for the production of the movie, with an agreement entitling him to 40% of the profits.
Despite the movie’s box office success and collection of at least Rs 250 crore, Siraj claims he did not receive the agreed-upon share of the profits. The producers allegedly inflated the film’s production cost from Rs 18.65 crore to Rs 22 crore. ED had questioned Soubin, Shawn and Babu as part of the investigation.