The Income Tax department conducted searches in the premises of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s close aide on Saturday. The raids are continuing.
The searches are being conducted at various locations in Jharkhand where assembly polls are scheduled this month. According to reports, the raids are being conducted by the central agency as part of a probe into tax evasion.
Officials in the know of the development said raids are being conducted at nine locations in Ranchi and Jamshedpur and the raids began early morning. CRPF is assisting IT sleuths in the raids. According to officials, premises related to Sunil Shrivastava, an aide to CM Soren, are also being searched as part of the raids.
The Income Tax raids are being conducted in connection with the probe into alleged illegal liquor trade and mining in the state. The Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation are also probing the alleged scam.
Jharkhand Congress slammed the raids and alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party is trying to pressure opposition leaders through the raids. Congress leader Rakesh Sinha said, “This is nothing new for Jharkhand. Income Tax raids are often carried out on the premises of opposition leaders and their staffers in the state. The BJP is trying to establish its footing through IT and ED raids ahead of the elections. With such actions, they are just attempting to create pressure on opposition leaders,” PTI reported.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Manoj Pandey also questioned the motive and timing behind the raids. Pandey said the raids were being conducted since the BJP was frustrated with people turning up in large numbers for Hemant and Kalpana Soren’s rallies.
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However, the BJP denied the charges and said the raids have no links with assembly polls in the state. BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo told PTI, “I do not know why the ruling parties in the state link the searches with the elections. They should wait till the official version of the IT department comes out.”
The Jharkhand assembly will be conducted in two phases, on November 13 and 20, and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.
