On Thursday, the Income Tax (IT) department carried out searches at the homes and workplaces of 13 notable YouTubers and content creators in Kerala. The list included actress Pearle Maaney. These raids were conducted in several districts, namely Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur, Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Kasargod.
Income Tax officials said that these YouTubers earn an estimated annual income of over Rs 1 crore. However, their tax filings do not accurately reflect their actual earnings, indicating inappropriate tax deductions at source. Additionally, officials have expressed suspicions regarding the paid promotional content conducted by these content creators. The investigation aims to ascertain the accuracy of their income declarations and examine any potential discrepancies in their financial activities.
During the raid conducted by the Income Tax (IT) Enforcement Wing in Kochi, it was discovered that some of the YouTubers had undisclosed investments that were not mentioned in their tax declarations. These content creators claim that their income varies each month based on the viewership of their content, leading to confusion regarding tax payments. The coordination of the raid was overseen by the IT officials in Kochi.
The raids began at approximately 9 AM, and the IT department is currently recording statements from the content creators involved. The team is thoroughly scrutinizing bank statements and other transaction details associated with the revenue generated by these YouTubers. Before the raids, the IT department conducted a preliminary investigation. Sources indicate that further raids targeting additional YouTubers in the state are planned for the coming days.
The government has included YouTubers’ earnings within the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. The ad revenues earned through YouTube are subject to a GST rate of 18%, comprising 9% CGST (Central Goods and Services Tax) and 9% SGST (State Goods and Services Tax).
As per the regulations, content creators are required to obtain GST registration and file regular returns to disclose their ad revenues and remit the applicable GST. However, it has been reported that numerous content creators are largely disregarding the existing laws and not fulfilling their GST obligations.
Here are the subscriber counts of the famous Kerala YouTubers:
1. M4Tech: 11.2 million subscribers
2. Unboxing Dude: 3.75 million subscribers
3. Arjyou: 3.61 million subscribers
4. Fishing Freaks: 3.35 million subscribers
5. Akhil NRD: 2.83 million subscribers
6. Pearle Maaney: 2.6 million subscribers
7. Jayaraj G Nath: 1.72 million subscribers
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