Long before Income Tax surveys at a leading global media organisation's premises, the department had raided premises of the Center for Policy Research across India. Along with the group, which collects and analyses data on economic and political issues to provide public policy insights, Oxfam which publishes report on inequality also came under the scanner. Now the foreign funding license for CPR has been suspended, after it had filed for a renewal.
The reason cited for the decision was non-compliance with Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) norms by CPR formed in 1973. Along with CPR and Oxfam, media funding NGO Spirited Media Foundation was also subjected to raids in September last year. The move had also been criticised by 600 citizens including civil rights activists back then.
This year, premises of British media organisation BBC had also been surveyed by the IT department, shortly after a controversial documentary about the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The British government has since come out in defence of the channel, while tax authorities claimed that it was under the scanner over transfer pricing violations.
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