Chennai: Taxmen raid Master producer’s properties

Hours before they raided Oppo’s Chennai office at Perungudi, Income Tax officials searched businessman Xavier Britto’s residence in Kasturba Nagar in Adyar and office on Radhakrishnan Salai in Mylapore on Tuesday morning. On Wednesday, his hotel near the Adyar bridge in Sastri Nagar was also brought under the department’s control. The officials were on the fifth floor of the hotel, said a source.

The searches at Oppo’s office were completed on Wednesday morning, while it ended later in the day at Britto’s properties. The taxmen then left the premises without disclosing anything about the operation, including seizures.

Xavier Britto runs a number of business enterprises, including hotels and a film production banner. The latest project was ‘Master’ starring actor Vijay, who is also related to Britto. The film was a blockbuster despite being released in theaters with partial restrictions due to the pandemic situation.

I-T department began searches on Tuesday at the Foxconn company in Sriperumpudur, which manufactures iPhone for Apple and Redmi for Xiaome. Sources said the office of Redmi located inside Foxconn premises was also searched.