Will continue to cooperate fully: BBC investigation into ED

The Enforcement Bureau is reportedly investigating the BBC’s alleged foreign direct investment (FDI) violations in India

London: Responding to reports in India about a new investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into alleged foreign exchange breaches by the British Public Broadcasting Corporation, the UK-based media outlet BBC said on Thursday that it will cooperate fully with Indian authorities.

A spokesman for the media company, which is funded by British taxpayers and backed by license fees, told PTI that the BBC would comply with its obligations to operate in India.

The statement was made in response to inquiries about reports that the ED had requested documents and statements from some company executives under the Foreign Exchange Administration Act (FEMA). “We will continue to cooperate fully with the Indian authorities to ensure that we meet all our obligations,” a BBC spokesman said.

According to official sources in Delhi, ED investigations are reportedly looking into the company’s alleged foreign direct investment (FDI) violations in India.

It follows a three-day so-called investigative operation by the Income Tax (IT) department at the BBC’s New Delhi and Mumbai offices in February.

In a statement following the action, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said it had found discrepancies, with the organisation’s divisions disclosing revenue and profits “not commensurate with the scale of operations in India”.

Following the action, the British government strongly defended the BBC and its editorial freedom in Parliament, saying: “We stand up for the BBC. We fund the BBC. We think the BBC World Service is vital.”

A pressing issue was raised in the House of Commons by opposition parties, some of whom branded the act “deliberate intimidation following the release of an unflattering documentary about the country’s leader,” and sharply criticized the British government for failing to make an early decision. Make a statement on the issue.

In January, the BBC aired a controversial two-part documentary “India: The Modi Question” in the UK.