New Delhi: Income Tax-related surveys at BBC’s India offices continued for the third day and employees working with the media house were asked not to “delete” any data until it is on, sources said.

The sources added they are also asked to appear whenever called by IT officials for investigation.

“Yesterday BBC employees were allowed to go home as they wanted to take rest. They came back today and joined the investigation,” the sources added.

It is learnt that the tax officials are conducting verification of certain account documents in the finance department of the BBC offices.

BBC News too said it was cooperating with the Income Tax department, which is conducting a survey at its offices in New Delhi and Mumbai.

“The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating,” the BBC News Press Team said in a statement on the first day of the survey.

Indian tax officials examined mobile phones and laptops used by some BBC editorial and administrative employees, two sources told Reuters.

“They (officials) asked some of us to open their laptop and hand in phones and then handed it back,” one source told Reuters, adding that owners of the devices were asked for the access codes. A second source gave a similar account.

The BBC has said that it was “fully co-operating” with the tax authorities, and an internal memo from BBC World Service director Liliane Landor instructed staff to answer questions honestly and “not delete or conceal any information on any of your devices.” The tax department has not issued any statement or responded to requests for comment, though a government official denied that the tax survey was “vindictive”, saying it was related to transfer pricing rules and alleged diversion of profits.

Kanchan Gupta, a senior adviser at the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, told Times Now news channel on Wednesday that the BBC was served tax notices in the past but had not provided a “convincing response.” In recent years some international companies had come under the income tax scanner regarding transfer pricing rules, but several media organisations and rights’ group criticised the ongoing search at the BBC.

“We demand that this intimidation be stopped and journalists are left to do their jobs without fear or favour,” the Mumbai Press Club said in a statement