Income Tax Department's notice to Prithviraj Sukumaran amid 'L2 Empuraan' controversy

Actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran received a notice from the Income Tax Department after the office of L2 Empuraan producer Gokulam Gopalan was raided by the Enforcement Directorate some days back. Reports state that the notice to the actor has requested an explanation regarding income from three 2022 films in which he had worked and co-produced.

According to a report by TNIE, income tax officials said that the notice was generated by the system and sent to Prithviraj via email on March 29. This notice is automatically activated when discrepancies or questions are identified during regular income tax assessment. The actor-director has been asked to provide clarification by April 29.

The Income Tax Department is investigating three films starred and co-produced by Prithviraj in 2022, including 'Jana Gana Mana', 'Gold' and 'Kadavu'. Despite playing lead roles, he allegedly did not claim any acting fees and only charged fees as a co-producer. The Income Tax Department is now seeking clarifications on the structure of his income as part of the standard verification process.

In 2022, the Income Tax Department searched Prithviraj's house and office as there were discrepancies in his tax filings. The searches extended to his production company and other related entities. Producers Antony Perumbavoor, Listin Stephen, and Anto Joseph also faced similar scrutiny at the time. The department sent notices as a follow-up action. It is said to have nothing to do with the L2 Empuraan controversy.