I-T Dept. conducts raids on ETA, Buhari Groups

 The Income Tax Department on Wednesday searched the offices and premises belonging to the Buhari Group and ETA Group of Companies, suspecting tax evasion.

In Tamil Nadu, I-T officials carried out search operations in Chennai, Thoothukudi and Keelakarai (Ramanathapuram district). Offices and premises in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad were also searched with the help of 500 officers.

In Chennai, the officials searched an office at Citi Centre, a shopping mall in Mylapore. An engineering college owned by one of the groups also came under the scanner.

“The searches started early morning and is still continuing. It will continue for the next three days. These are large groups and we need time to look into their details and books,” said a senior IT official.

When asked for details on which divisions of the groups the taxmen are looking at, the official said, “The Buhari Group, ETA Property and a few other divisions are been searched.” He declined to divulge further details.

At Ramanathapuram, an eight-member I-T team, headed by A.R. Singh, Income Tax Commissioner, Madurai, raided the house of M. Hameed Khan (62), an employee of ETA Ascon Group Company at Kilakarai near here and detained him for questioning after seizing incriminating documents.

Police sources said the team, including two women officers, began the raid at 7 a.m. and completed the exercise at 4 p.m. after seizing two suitcases full of documents. The team has not seized gold or cash, the sources said.

Mr. Khan had been working as a cashier in the ETA headquarters in Dubai for about 20 years and he came on leave a fortnight ago, the sources said. After completing the raid, the officials took Mr. Khan along with them to Madurai for questioning, they added.

Offices and premises in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad were

also searched