Income Tax Department conducts raids on Delhi-based think tank Centre for Policy Research

Income Tax Department on Wednesday carried out searches at the think tank Centre for Policy Research (CPR).

The Income Tax searches are underway at the office of the Centre for Policy Research, which describes itself as a public policy think tank and a non-profit, non-partisan, independent institution dedicated to conducting research.

Income Tax sources said that the search is being carried out based on "credible information" about tax evasion.

The sources said the search "is not linked to" the income tax searches underway across some states as part of the probe into alleged tax evasion and financial impropriety by unrecognised political parties over donations received without statutory compliances.

About funding, the CPR website says that the think tank is recognised as a not-for-profit society by the government and contributions "are tax exempt". It says CPR receives grants from the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR), and is a Department of Science and Technology (DST) recognised institution.

CPR says it is a member institution of the Think Tank Initiative (TTI), a programme of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

The website states the think tank receives grants from a variety of domestic and international sources, including foundations, corporate philanthropy, governments, and multilateral agencies.