According to the IPSMF statement, the foundation’s staff were cooperative (with the tax department personnel) and “answered all questions put to them on a wide range of matters”.
Two days after the Income Tax department conducted searches at the premises of Bengaluru-based Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF), the foundation released a statement saying that it has not received any foreign funds. In the statement, it said that it has funded only media entities”.
The statement was issued by TN Ninan, chairman of the Board of Trustees of IPSMF. It read, “The foundation believes that its affairs are entirely in order. Some media reporting on the IT (income tax) survey has linked it to foreign funding and the funding of political parties. We wish to make it clear that the foundation has received no foreign funds at any stage, and has funded only media entities.”
“The foundation believes in its mission of supporting independent and public-spirited media, and intends to continue its work,” it added.
According to the IPSMF statement, the foundation’s staff were cooperative (with the tax department personnel) and “answered all questions put to them on a wide range of matters”.
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The statement said that Income Tax officials visited its Bengaluru office on Wednesday and stayed till 4.30 am. The IT team went through the papers and records of the foundation and asked questions to the staff. However, it took statements from three senior staff members. All laptops and mobiles were taken from them for data cloning and returned to them on the following day.
The statement further said that except for the CEO of the foundation, Sunil Rajshekhar all the other employees were allowed to go home at various stages in the evening and night of 7 September. However, they were asked to return the following morning for further questioning.
“The CEO slept in the office for a few hours on the intervening night of September 7-8. The Board of Trustees compliments the staff on their good cheer and fortitude through the extended proceedings. The IT officials were courteous during their survey work,” the statement read.
CPR and Oxfam, the other two entities raided by the IT Department on the same day have issued their statement too. The IT department on the other hand is yet to issue any formal statement on the matter.
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