I-T Department serves notice on actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran

Income Tax Department seeks clarifications from actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran on income from movies, part of ongoing industry investigation.

The Income Tax (I-T) department has sought further clarifications from actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran related to his income earned from a few movies released earlier.

It is learnt that the notice was served on the actor in the last week of March by the IT Department in Kochi. The actor has been told to submit his response before April-end. The clarifications have been sought related to a few movies that he had co-produced earlier.

The actor-director had come under attack by the right-wing elements over what appeared to be references to the 2002 Gujarat pogrom in his latest directorial venture L2: Empuraan starring Mohanlal that hit screens on March 27.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had on Friday (April 4, 2025) conducted searches at offices of Kerala-based businessman Gokulam Gopalan, one of the producers of the movie, and some others as part of an alleged foreign exchange violation case.

It is learnt that the Income Tax Department has served the notice as part of the follow-up action in connection with an investigation launched against a few persons in the Malayalam film industry in December 2022.

The I-T sleuths had then carried out raids at multiple locations, including the residences and offices of film producers, including Antony Perumbavoor, Anto Joseph, and Listin Stephen, for suspected tax evasion, unaccounted cash transactions, and investments in real estate abroad. The premises of Prithviraj Sukumaran were also inspected as part of the raid.

The latest notice served on Prithviraj Sukumaran appears to be a follow-up of the probe related to suspected tax evasion launched by the department in December 2022, it is learnt.