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The Income Tax Department conducted raids at the residence and office of renowned filmmaker Sukumar in Hyderabad on Wednesday, January 22. According to local media reports, the raids began early in the morning and lasted several hours. Sukumar, who was reportedly at Hyderabad airport, was escorted by IT officials to his home for the search.
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Details regarding the purpose and findings of the raid remain undisclosed, with no official statement from the Income Tax Department yet.
The raid coincides with the massive success of Sukumar’s latest film, Pushpa 2: The Rule, starring Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna. The blockbuster has reportedly grossed over ₹1,500 crore globally.
A day earlier, on January 21, IT officials also raided the properties of prominent producer Dil Raju, whose real name is Velamakucha Venkata Ramana Reddy. The investigation reportedly focuses on alleged tax evasion and unaccounted income, with officials scrutinizing financial records and transactions.
Dil Raju, a celebrated figure in Telugu cinema, has produced multiple hits and expanded into Tamil and Hindi films through his production house, Sri Venkateswara Creations. He is a two-time National Film Award winner and received the Nagi Reddy–Chakrapani National Award in 2013. His latest production, Game Changer, starring Ram Charan, was released recently.
The simultaneous raids on high-profile figures have raised speculation about financial irregularities in the film industry.