In a significant development, the Income Tax Department conducted raids on multiple locations in Odisha and Jharkhand linked to Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu. The operation, spanning three consecutive days, resulted in the discovery of Rs 200 crore in cash, with no apparent account record, according to officials quoted by news agency PTI.
Who is Dhiraj Sahu
Dhiraj Sahu is linked to the Baldev Sahu Infra Pvt Ltd company, a group company of Boudh Distilleries covered in the search. Sahu, a Congress MP in the Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand since 2010, hails from a family with a longstanding association with the Congress. His brother, Shiv Prasad Sahu, was a two-time Lok Sabha MP from Ranchi on a Congress ticket.
Sahu, a businessman residing in Lohardaga, Jharkhand, declared assets totaling Rs 34.83 crore in his 2018 Rajya Sabha election affidavit. He stated movable assets worth Rs 2.04 crore and listed luxury cars, including a Range Rover, Fortuner, BMW, and Pajero.
Raid Details and Cash Recovery
The raids commenced on Wednesday, targeting Boudh Distillery Private Limited and associated companies in Odisha, including Baldev Sahu Infra Private Limited. PTI sources indicate that the counting of the recovered amount, currently at Rs 220 crore, may extend to Rs 250 crore. Due to a shortage of counting machines, the process is progressing at a slow pace, involving about three dozen machines.
Raids Across Odisha and Jharkhand
Income Tax Department officials have seized a total of 156 bags from a hideout in Sudapada, Bolangir district, Odisha, with Rs 200 crore recovered in Bolangir alone. Additional funds were retrieved from Sambalpur, Sundergarh, Bokaro, Ranchi, and Kolkata. Raids were conducted in various cities, including Sambalpur, Bolangir, Titilagarh, Boudh, Sundergarh, Rourkela, and Bhubaneswar in Odisha, and Ranchi and Bokaro in Jharkhand.
No official statement has been released by the companies involved in response to the raids.
BJP Demands CBI Investigation
BJP's Odisha unit has called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter. The party has sought clarification from the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha.
Political Reaction
The BJP has sharply criticized the Congress, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeting about the reports. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia demanded Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's resignation in light of the uncovered funds.
Union Minister Smriti Irani questioned the Congress, asking whose "ATM" the Congress MP represents and expressing concern about corruption within the party.
