The Income Tax authorities have intensified their efforts to count the massive amount of cash seized from premises linked to Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu. India Today reported that additional machines, staff, and security personnel have been deployed to expedite the process.
Officials stated that the cash seized during the raids is expected to surpass Rs 290 crore, marking the “highest-ever” haul by an agency in a single operation.
Initially, over 30 officers, along with bank staff, were engaged in counting the seized money. To accelerate the process, the IT department deployed nearly 40 large and small machines and brought in additional staff from both the department and banks. However, due to a significant amount of cash remaining to be counted, authorities decided to enlist more cash-counting machines and manpower.
This comes amidst a heated political debate following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent attack on the Opposition over corruption.
Taking to X on Friday, the PM said, “Countrymen should look at the pile of these notes and then listen to the honest ‘speeches’ of their leaders….Whatever has been looted from the public, every penny will have to be returned, this is Modi’s guarantee.”
Visuals from the operation showed officials counting bundles of cash recovered from the properties of the Congress MP. The Congress has distanced itself from Sahu following the recovery of a substantial amount of cash from the liquor company associated with him.
AICC General Secretary Communications Jairam Ramesh stated, “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.”
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday alleged that “over Rs 300 crore cash” recovered during the raids was intended for “horse trading and resort politics”.
BJP MLA and former Jharkhand minister CP Singh, accompanied by Jamshedpur BJP MP Bidyut Baran Mahato, held a press conference where they made these accusations. They claimed that the seizure of such a massive amount of cash from Congress leaders, while not unexpected, was certainly surprising.
Furthermore, Singh demanded an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the matter.
Dhiraj Sahu is a politician from the Congress party who has been elected to the Rajya Sabha three times. He is also a member of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Sahu’s political career spans over four decades, starting in 1977.
Also Read: I-T Dept’s biggest-ever seizure: Who is Dhiraj Sahu, liquor baron and Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP?
