#WestandwithVijay logs 300K tweets after IT raids

Hyderabad: Twitter explodes after fans of actor Vijay took to micro-blogging site to support their idol after Income Tax officials questioned the star and raided his residences besides the properties of producers of 2019 blockbuster 'Bigil’.

#WestandwithVijay# was trending on Twitter after IT officials questioned the actor. The hashtag has logged more than 300K tweets so far. Fans lambasted IT officials for allegedly being so unkind to their idol.

Vijay's Bigil, which was released in 2019, grossed Rs 300 crore at the box office worldwide. Since the film has made headlines, its producers have come under the scanner of the Income Tax department for alleged tax evasion.

Income Tax officials raided the properties of the producers AGS Enterprises, actor Vijay, financier Anbu Chezhiyan and distributor Screen Scene.

Officials also questioned Vijay, who is currently shooting for his upcoming film 'Master’ in Neyveli, on tax evasion. Later IT sleuths searched the actor's residences in Panaiyur and Saligramam.

Sources said financier Anbu Chezhiyan, who is said to have lent money to AGS Enterprises, was also questioned by the officials. According to an official press release, the searches are being conducted at 38 premises belonging to a group associated with Bigil.

Income Tax officials have seized Rs 77 crore from the properties belonging to financier Anbu Chezhiyan. Many documents, agreements, post-dated cheques were also reportedly confiscated during the raid. The searches are still going on at several places.

Screen Scene Pvt Ltd, who had secured the Tamil Nadu distribution rights of Bigil, is also under the scanner of IT department.

The distributor, who is a part of the group, is also a real estate developer. Sources said IT officials have recovered important documents from the house of his friend. Scrutiny of the evidence is under progress, said the statement