Income Tax authorities in India are intensifying efforts to tally a massive amount of cash seized from premises associated with Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu. Reports from India Today suggest that the cash seized during the raids is anticipated to surpass Rs 290 crore, marking the “highest-ever” haul by an agency in a single operation.
To expedite the counting process, additional machines, staff, and security personnel have been deployed by the Income Tax department. Initially, over 30 officers, along with bank staff, were engaged in counting the seized money. However, recognizing the substantial amount of cash still to be tallied, authorities decided to bring in more cash-counting machines and manpower.
The political landscape has heated up following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent criticism of the Opposition over corruption. In response to the ongoing developments, PM Modi stated, “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 depict officials counting bundles of cash recovered from properties associated with Congress MP Dhiraj Sahu. The Congress party has distanced itself from Sahu in the wake of the substantial cash recovery from a liquor company linked to him.
AICC General Secretary Communications Jairam Ramesh clarified, “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) has alleged that the “over Rs 300 crore cash” recovered during the raids was intended for “horse trading and resort politics.” BJP leaders, including MLA CP Singh and Jamshedpur BJP MP Bidyut Baran Mahato, held a press conference making these accusations and demanded an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the matter.
Dhiraj Sahu, a Congress politician with a political career spanning over four decades, 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. The ongoing developments surrounding the cash haul continue to generate political debate and calls for further investigation.
