Mumbai: Shiv Sena came out in support of Sonu Sood even as the income-tax department widened its tax evasion probe against the actor as it raided multiple premises in Mumbai, Nagpur and Jaipur on Friday. It had launched the action against Sood and some people linked to him on Wednesday. A real estate deal and some financial transactions linked to Sood are under the scanner.

The Sena said the action only started after Sood was appointed as brand ambassador of the Delhi government’s ‘Desh ka Mentors’ campaign.

A Saamna editorial in said: “BJP was at the forefront in appreciating Sood’s work during the lockdown. But when he decided to do social work as the ‘brand ambassador’ of the Atvind Kejriwal government, the surveys started on his homes...Making bogus allegations against ministers in Maharashtra, delaying the appointment of 12 nominees to the legislative council, I-T surveys on Sood is a sign of narrow-mindedness and such a childish game will boomerang one day.”