On April 13th, 2023, Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered a case against BBC India (British Broadcasting Commission) for alleged foreign exchange violation. The UK-headquartered broadcaster came under the radar of Indian agencies investigation, not for the first time. After the Delhi and Mumbai BBC offices got raided by ED, the new upgrade in this whole matter came as a result of a case registered against the British Broadcaster. The movement comes two months after the BBC offices in Mumbai and Delhi were investigated in a survey by the Income Tax Department.
The documents and the recording of the statements of several company executives have been called by the federal probe agency under the provision of FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act). The BBC offices were surveyed as a part of an investigation by the income tax authorities in February this year. BBC was embroiled in a controversy over its documentary on the Gujarat riot India: The Modi Question which drew sharp criticism from the government of India and tarnished the country’s image. ‘India: The Modi Question’ a two-part documentary declared to have certain aspects related to the 2002 Gujarat riot when PM Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat.
The Ministry of External Affairs described the series as a “propaganda piece” that lacked impartiality and narrated a colonial mindset. The inquiry is essentially looking at purported FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) violations by the country. The action was taken to inquire about the irregularities of foreign funding by the UK Broadcasters, violation of rules, and diversion funds under the 1999 Act of FEMA. Earlier, the ED had also sent a summon to the British Broadcaster calling for an inquiry into the event, following a search conducted by the Income Tax Departments. An officer of the BBC’s editorial department and administration department is being questioned at ED’s headquarters.
The Indian government instructed the platforms of social media to block Twitter posts and Youtube videos sharing links to the documentary soon after it created a massive controversy in January this year. The documentary was widely criticized by the Indian government as well as several sections of the public. The BBC faced consequences and allegations of spreading fake news and propaganda, and the government of India accused the broadcaster of trying to destabilize the country. BBC has