New Delhi, In a significant development, the ongoing Income Tax Department raids on premises linked to Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu have unearthed a staggering sum exceeding Rs 200 crore in cash. The extensive operation spans locations in Odisha and Jharkhand, raising questions about potential political connections to the substantial cash discovery.
The raids, initiated on December 6, focused on Sahu’s properties, including those associated with Boudh Distillery Private Limited in Odisha. Notably, the recovered cash was found stashed in an almirah, prompting a thorough search of various locations, including Sambalpur, Bolangir, Titilagarh, Sundargarh, Rourkela, and Bhubaneswar.
Over 30 officers, alongside bank staff, are actively involved in counting the seized money. Utilizing more than eight counting machines, authorities are processing the currency, with additional machines likely to be deployed to enhance capacity. Approximately 150 currency-packed packets have been transported to the State Bank of India’s head branch in Bolangir.
Income Tax Director General Sanjay Bahadur, overseeing the raids in Bhubaneswar, emphasized that investigations are exploring potential connections to the seized cash, leaving room for political implications.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the matter. Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Deepak Prakash highlighted the need for a broader investigation, suggesting possible involvement of other Congress MPs in similar cases.
Dheeraj Sahu, with extended family engagement in alcohol manufacturing, owns multiple alcohol manufacturing factories in Odisha. The ongoing developments raise questions about the source and purpose of the substantial cash find, adding a layer of complexity to the political landscape.
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