IT Raid Concludes At Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu’s Premises

Balangir

Income tax officials concluded a raid on Tuesday at the premises of Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu in Balangir, Odisha. Visuals showed Income Tax officials and CISF personnel leaving the location. The operation yielded a significant discovery, with approximately Rs 280 crore in cash found at Sahu's residence alone. Earlier, during raids on properties linked to Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu, substantial amounts of currency notes were seized.

The counting process for the recovered cash involved 176 bags, with 140 counted and the remainder scheduled for counting. Three banks, 50 officials, and 40 currency counting machines were engaged in the process, according to the SBI Regional Manager. The investigation extended to Boudh Distilleries Private Limited, where the Income Tax department carried out raids for the fifth consecutive day. Baldev Sahu Infra Pvt Ltd, a group company of Boudh Distilleries, was scrutinized for its alleged connections to Sahu.

The total cash recovery from various locations in Odisha and Jharkhand, associated with Boudh Distilleries Private Limited and related entities, exceeded Rs 300 crore. The raids and subsequent revelations provided the BJP with an opportunity to criticize the Congress on corruption allegations. BJP MP Giriraj Singh emphasized the exposure of corruption within the Congress party, while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju reiterated the connection between the Congress and corruption. In response, Congress attempted to distance itself from MP Dheeraj Sahu, placing the responsibility on him to explain the cash recoveries. Congress MP KC Venugopal emphasized that the party had no involvement in the matter and urged Sahu to clarify the circumstances surrounding the seizure.