The Income Tax Department's investigation unit on Wednesday conducted searches at premises linked to Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu and film director Anurag Kashyap in Mumbai. . Searches took place at 30 locations in Mumbai and Pune, including premises linked to a talent agency as well as Phantom Films, which was co-promoted by Anurag Kashyap, producers Vikas Bahl and Madhu Mantena.Anurag Kashyap and Taapsee Pannu known for their outspoken nature, often lent their voice to various causes, including the ongoing farmer protests against central laws. Recently, Pannu had criticised the show of solidarity by celebrities towards the government in response to pop star Rihanna's post drawing attention to the farmers' agitation. The actor took a jibe at the pushback and questioned "one tweet" rattling one's belief.
Now, Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik on Wednesday alleged that the house of Bollywood celebrities Anurag Kashyap and Taapsee Pannu were raided by the Income Tax officials because they spoke against the Narendra Modi-led government. The NCP leader alleged that the I-T raids were an attempt to suppress the voices of dissent. “The premises of Anurag Kashyap and Pannu have been raided. Both were raising their voices against the Modi government. This action has been carried out to suppress their voices,” the NCP told reporters in Mumbai on Wednesday. “Central agencies like ED, CBI, and Income Tax are being used to target those who take an anti-government stand and speak against the policies of the regime,” he said. Bihar politician Tejashwi Yadav also lashed out at the government for the Income Tax Department's raids on director Anurag Kashyap and actor Taapsee Pannu. "They first employed IT, CBI, ED to conduct raids on vocal & upright political rivals for their character assassination. Now Nazi govt is chasing social activists, journalists & artists to threaten them against calling spade a spade. Condemnable Act!" Mr Yadav, leader of Bihar's opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal, tweeted.