Prithviraj Sukumaran Receives Income Tax Notice After ED Raids L2 Empuraan Producer's Properties, Asked To Respond Before April 29

Malayalam movie L2: Empuraan has found itself at the center of controversy, with criticism emerging from the RSS mouthpiece and now, its director and lead actor, Prithviraj Sukumaran, is facing scrutiny from the Income Tax Department. On March 29, Prithviraj received a notice from the department, seeking clarification on his remuneration and financial dealings related to films released in 2022. This development comes shortly after Empuraan's theatrical release on March 27. 

The actor has been given a deadline of April 29 to respond to the notice. The notice specifically pertains to three films - Jana Gana Mana, Kaduva and Gold - in which Prithviraj played a dual role as both actor and co-producer. His mother, veteran actress Mallika Sukumaran, has come out in support of her son, stating that he has done nothing wrong and will respond to the notice accordingly.

The Income Tax Department has issued a notice to Prithviraj Sukumaran, seeking clarification on discrepancies in his remuneration for movies released in 2022. The investigation is a part of ongoing probes initiated after IT raids in 2022. Meanwhile, Empuraan's co-producer Gokulam Gopalan is also under ED scanner, with raids conducted at his offices and residences.

The ED recently conducted raids on the properties of Gokul Gopalan, a producer of the Malayalam movie L2: Empuraan, in Chennai and Kerala, resulting in the seizure of Rs 1.5 crore in cash. The investigation stems from a case initially probed by the Income Tax Department, which had raided 76 locations linked to Gopalan and his chit fund company in 2017 across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.

The income tax department's investigation revealed that the company allegedly concealed income worth Rs 1107 crores over five years. This included Rs 118 crores in bad debts and Rs 80 crores in undisclosed interest income that were not reported in the company's books. The ED's action is part of its efforts to enforce the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), as the agency found that Gopalan's company, Sree Gokulam Chits and Finance Co. Pvt. Ltd., had collected subscription amounts from non-resident Indians without proper authorization.

The ED's probe also uncovered that the company had collected Rs 3.71.80 crore in cash from non-resident Indians and Rs 220.74 crore through cheques, violating FEMA regulations. The agency is taking steps to ensure that the company's assets are attached and the proceeds of the alleged crime are recovered.