New Delhi: In the aftermath of IT raids uncovering unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 300 crores and more from Congress' Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu, the Congress party officially distances itself from the business dealings of the party leader.
सांसद धीरज साहू के बिज़नेस से भारतीय राष्ट्रीय कांग्रेस का कोई लेना-देना नहीं है। सिर्फ़ वही बता सकते हैं, और उन्हें यह स्पष्ट करना भी चाहिए, कि कैसे आयकर अधिकारियों द्वारा कथित तौर पर उनके ठिकानों से इतनी बड़ी मात्रा में कैश बरामद किया जा रहा है।
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 9, 2023
The Indian National Congress is…
Jairam Ramesh, Congress party’s General Secretary in charge of Communications, stated on X that the Indian National Congress has no association with the businesses run by its Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand. Ramesh emphasized that only Dheeraj Sahu, the accused in the case, can provide an explanation for the substantial amount of cash reportedly seized from his properties. He called for Sahu to clarify the source of the funds.
A post conveying this message in both Hindi and English read, "The Indian National Congress is in no way connected with the businesses of Dheeraj Sahu, MP. Only he can explain, and should explain, how huge amounts of cash have been reportedly unearthed by the income-tax authorities from his properties."
The raids, which spanned four days, concluded recently, and the total amount of seizure is expected to increase as additional cash is yet to be counted. Intelligence suggests that there may be more concealed cash in other locations. Additionally, tax officials have recovered a bag containing gold jewelry, which has also been seized.
On December 9th, tax inspections continued at properties in Odisha and Jharkhand linked to Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu. The investigation, initiated on December 6th, revealed undeclared funds ranging from over Rs 200 crore to Rs 300 crore. Income Tax teams confiscated three more bags from Sahu's Ranchi premises.
Bhagat Beherea, the Regional Manager of the State Bank of India in Bolangir, informed that the bank has received a total of 176 bags containing money. The counting of currency notes is still ongoing, with 50 workers and 25 counting machines deployed for the task. He mentioned that more personnel would be added to expedite the counting process.
IT officials conducted raids at locations connected to the MP’s Boudh Distillery, its affiliated offices, Baldev Sahu Infra (linked to Boudh Distillery), and a rice mill owned by the same distillery across Odisha and Jharkhand.
Reacting to the development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on social media, "Countrymen should look at these piles of currency notes and then hear the addresses of its (Congress) leaders on honesty. Every penny looted from people will have to be returned. This is Modi’s guarantee."
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