KOCHI: The Intelligence wing of the State GST Department on Thursday carried out simultaneous raids at the offices and residences of the organisers of the dance event held at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kaloor, Kochi, last month after a preliminary probe indicated massive tax evasion.
Separate teams of the GST Intelligence wing raided the offices of ‘Mridanga Vision’ in Wayanad, ‘Oscar Events’ in Thrissur, and ‘Events India’ in Kochi. “Raids were also simultaneously held at the residences of the proprietors of these firms across the three districts. The Kozhikode, Thrissur and Wayanad teams started the raids at 11 am and it continued late into the night. The action follows indications of tax evasion by the organisers,” said a senior officer who is part of the Intelligence wing team.
“We are also verifying whether the parties previously indulged in tax evasion and are examining the firms’ documents from the 2018-19 financial year. However, several documents are already with agencies like the police. So, it will take some time for us to determine the extent of tax evasion,” the officer said, adding that scrutiny of the seized documents is progressing.
Mridanga Nadam, a Guinness World Record attempt involving 12,000 bharatanatyam dancers led by actor Divya Unni was held on December 29.
Uma Thomas shifted to hospital room
Thrikkakara MLA Uma Thomas, who was undergoing treatment after falling from the 15-ft dais of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kaloor, Kochi, on December 29, was shifted to a room on Thursday evening following improvement in her health condition. According to the medical team treating her, the MLA’s condition is stable.