New Delhi, March 10 -- The Income Tax Department's nationwide verification exercise on restaurants regarding turnovers has revealed a suppression of sales amounting to approximately Rs 408 crore. According to a Ministry of Finance press statement, the investigation targeted tax evasion patterns within the Food & Beverage (F&B) sector following preliminary data analysis initiated in November 2025.

"On 8 March 2026, a nationwide survey was conducted on 62 restaurants across 46 cities in 22 States. On a preliminary basis, the exercise revealed suppression of sales amounting to around Rs. 408 crore. Investigations in this regard are underway," the Ministry said.

The Ministry highlighted the use of AI-enabled analytical tools to perform adva...