IT dept raids many educational institutes

NT Correspondent
Bengaluru

The Income Tax department conducted simultaneous raids on some reputed educational institutes across Karnataka, including Bengaluru, on Thursday, for alleged evasion of taxes. According to sources, the IT sleuths were conducting raids since early morning at Sri Krishnadevaraya Educational Institution, Reva University and Divyashree Institute among others in Bengaluru.

Some of the institutions were on officials’ radar for quite some time, sources said. Officials said the premises of key persons of the institutions were also searched. The raids were taking place in multiple locations, including corporate offices and education institute buildings. More than 45 places including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Goa were searched, sources said.

The raids were being conducted following complaints that the institutes were charging exorbitant amounts as fees from foreign students, blocking seats and evading taxes. A team of 250 officers from the Income Tax Department were involved in the action wherein a team from the Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Goa zones were conducting the raids.

As per the sources, the IT raids at Karnataka educational institutions are reportedly being done to find some of the institutes’ links with local politicians. However, an official confirmation is awaited.