Tax officials in India carried out raids on several popular biryani restaurant chains after finding signs of financial irregularities. The investigation began in Hyderabad but soon expanded across the country. During these searches, authorities analysed huge amounts of digital billing and payment data. They found that many restaurants may have deleted or changed sales records to show lower income than what they really earned. This would help them pay less in taxes, including GST and income tax. From this analysis, officials believe that sales worth an estimated ₹70,000 crore may have been hidden from the tax authorities since the 2019–20 financial year.
The billing software used by thousands of outlets appears to have features that made it easy to erase or alter bills. Investigators are now working to recover data, calculate taxes owed, and may take legal action once the full probe is finished.
