Hyderabad: Income Tax Raids on Tollywood Personalities
The Income Tax (IT) department carried out searches on Tuesday at the properties of well-known filmmaker and Telangana State Film Development Corporation (TSFDC) Chairman, Dil Raju. His relatives and other Tollywood personalities, including members of the popular production house Mythri Movie Makers, were also under scrutiny. Mythri recently produced the blockbuster movie Pushpa 2.
Early in the morning, several teams of IT officials launched simultaneous raids across various locations in Hyderabad. Searches were conducted at Dil Raju’s residence in Ujas Villas, Jubilee Hills, as well as at the offices and properties of Mythri Movie Makers.
The IT department is reportedly investigating financial transactions related to Dil Raju and others in connection with movie production. As part of the inquiry, officials examined bank lockers. Dil Raju’s wife was taken to a bank where lockers were opened in her presence.
Dil Raju is one of Tollywood’s leading producers and has diverse business interests in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, including film production, distribution, and real estate. Last month, he was appointed as the chairman of the Telangana State Film Development Corporation. The IT raids are believed to be linked to his recent movies, Game Changer and Sankranthiki Vasthunnam, produced under his banner, Sri Venkateswara Creations.
One of these films, starring Venkatesh, Aishwarya Rajesh, and Meenakshi Chaudhary, has become one of Dil Raju’s highest-grossing ventures. The IT department also extended the searches to properties owned by Dil Raju’s family members, including his daughter Hansita Reddy, producer Sireesh (co-owner of Sri Venkateswara Creations), and director Anil Ravipudi.
Mythri Movie Makers, the production house behind Pushpa 2, also came under IT scrutiny. Searches were conducted at the residences of Mythri’s founder, Naveen Yemeni, and other key individuals associated with the company.
The investigation is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge regarding the financial dealings of these major Tollywood figures.
