Mumbai: Actor Rakul Preet Singh has responded to reports claiming that the Income Tax Department conducted searches at properties linked to her over alleged financial irregularities.
Calling the reports “malicious” and “false”, the actor clarified that the search was not related to her and denied owning any Benami property.
Taking to Instagram, Rakul shared a lengthy statement addressing reports about the alleged Income Tax searches at her premises.
She wrote, “It’s heartbreaking to see that there’s a growing trend amongst the self-styled online reporters & some mainstream media journalists to sensationalise the news without verifying facts. Let’s therefore set the record straight once and for all. The search was not pertaining to me.”
The actor added that she has been paying her taxes for years and denied any involvement in illegal remittances.
“Let it be known that I am from the Armed Forces background & had no Godfather in the Industry. I have come up through sheer hard work & as a responsible law-abiding citizen have been paying my due taxes since the age of 20 years. I am not involved in any kind of illegal foreign remittance in personal capacity or on behalf of any Production house. I would also add here that I do not hold any Benami property on behalf of anyone anywhere in the country or abroad. Neither ANYONE has EVER gifted me any property at any time nor do I accept such expensive gifts as a principle,” she shared.
Reacting to reports alleging that her premises were “raided” over suspected illegal foreign remittances related to film production, Rakul added, “I urge all those who published these false, malicious and speculative reports to retract them and clarify the facts. I understand that everyone running a media business, however big, has their own commercial pressures. But it cannot come at the cost of facts. And certainly not at the cost of someone’s reputation and livelihood.”
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Last week, reports claimed that the Income Tax Department had carried out searches at 12 locations allegedly linked to Rakul and her father-in-law, producer Vashu Bhagnani.
According to TV9, the searches were conducted on September 28 over suspected financial irregularities.
The report said the probe was looking into allegations that funds were being routed abroad under the guise of financing film projects.
Vashu Bhagnani has not responded to queries about the searches.
