Synopsis : Income Tax Investigation Wing raided corporate offices and homes linked to three of the city’s most iconic biryani giants — Pista House, Mehfil and Shah Ghouse. Investigators had already gathered indications of suppressed turnover, unexplained cash movement and gaps between what the outlets declared and what they reportedly earned on the ground.

At sunrise on Tuesday, 18 November, when most of Hyderabad was waking up, officers of the Income Tax (IT) Investigation Wing were already fanning out across the city. Their destination: The kitchens, corporate offices and homes linked to three of the city’s most iconic biryani giants — Pista House, Mehfil and Shah Ghouse.

What unfolded through the day was one of the largest coordinated tax operations the city’s hospitality sector has

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