Bhubaneswar: The Income Tax Department raided the premises of Odisha restaurateur Abhay Nayak, owner of the popular ‘Tandooriwala’ restaurant chain in Odisha, for the second consecutive day over suspicions of tax evasion.
According to sources, 15 teams are simultaneous searches at six location, including his residence in Raghunathpur, Bhubaneswar, and several outlets – Mysore Express at Patia (Bhubaneswar), Tandooriwala, Express Lounge at Chandrasekharpur (Bhubaneswar), Sky Lounge, Express Lounge in Puri, and Spice Village in Cuttack.
A key focus of the investigation involves transactions processed through the PetPooja restaurant management application. It is being alleged that crores of rupees in taxes were allegedly evaded through transactions carried out using the application. The restaurant chain also allegedly projected its businesses as running at a loss while encouraging cash-based dealings to underreport actual earnings.
Sources further stated that undisclosed amounts of cash along with financial documents and other evidence purportedly demonstrating long-term tax avoidance tactics linked to the chain and the app have been seized.
Further analysis of the seized materials and financial records are underway.
