Taapsee Pannu responds to IT raids, alleged Rs 5 crore cash receipts: ‘I am not a criminal, haven’t done anything illegally’

Taapsee Pannu opened up on the raids conducted by the Income Tax Department on her on March 3 and the series of tweets she made on the subject. She said she isn't afraid as she has not done anything criminal.

Actor Taapsee Pannu has responded to the raids by the Income Tax Department on March 3 in a new interview, saying that she never expected it to happen to her or her family. The actor had addressed the “intense search” that went on for three days in a series of tweets last week. Now, in the interview, the actor has opened up on the experience and said while as a public personality she is always prepared for such a thing, it came as a surprise for her family.

“When they visited me, I was told my other residences in Delhi and Mumbai are also being searched simultaneously. I was informed. I don’t think I expected that it will happen to me, my family especially. It was very out of the blue for them. They didn’t see it coming at all. They were more perturbed,” Taapsee told The Quint.

She added that she is well aware of the cost one has to pay for being a public figure. “Let’s just say that last couple of years or months have made me aware that anything can happen. This is the cost you pay for being a public figure, and I am perfectly okay with it because when you have not really done anything wrong, I don’t know what or why should I fear? If there a human error, I will pay up for it or whatever I am supposed to do. But I am not a criminal. I have not done anything illegally. So, I am not scared of the consequences.”

Taapsee also spoke about the brainstorming she did after being raided to understand why it took place in the first place. However, she made it clear that even if the raid came as a shock, it does not mean she will change herself because of the fear.

She also mentioned that IT department officials were “thorough professionals” and the process went on “very calmly” for two-three days. The Baby actor also condemned a section of media which claimed that the actor received Rs 5 crore cash payment. In response to it, Taapsee laughed and said in the interview, “I want to know where are these Rs 5 crore? I have not been offered that amount for anything in my life so far. I will frame the receipt for myself.”

Taapsee’s interview comes after a series of tweets she posted expressing her anger over the raid. In one of the tweets, she wrote, “Not so sasti anymore”.

“3 days of intense search of 3 things primarily: 1. The keys of the “alleged” bungalow that I apparently own in Paris. Because summer holidays are around the corner. 2. The “alleged” receipt worth 5 crores to frame n keep for future pitching coz I’ve been refused that money before. 3. My memory of 2013 raid that happened with me according to our honourable finance minister. P.S- “not so sasti” anymore,” Taapsee’s tweets read.

The series of tweets came after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday that the same persons were raided in 2013 as well, but it did not lead to an outcry like in the present case. Talking about the tweet addressing the Finance Minister, Taapsee said she was not raided in 2013 and it was “shocking” and “surprising” that the Finance Minister shared a generic statement, which she felt “the need to correct.”

On the work front, Taapsee is shooting for Dobaara with Anurag Kashyap.

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