Odisha tax raid: Congress distances itself from MP Dheeraj Sahu

The Congress has distanced itself from its Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu after income tax officers recovered close to Rs 300 crore unaccounted cash from properties linked to him.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted that the party is not linked to any one Sahu's businesses.

'The Indian National Congress is in no way connected with the businesses of MP Dheeraj Sahu. Only he can explain, and should explain, how huge amounts of cash have been reportedly unearthed by the income-tax authorities from his properties,' he tweeted.

Union minister Smriti Irani on Saturday took a dig at the Congress over the recovery of "unaccounted" cash from the premises of a party leader during income tax raids, saying this is not the first time a Congress MP is found involved in "corruption".

The seizure of "unaccounted" cash after the income-tax department raided an Odisha-based distillery group and entities linked to it is expected to reach Rs 290 crore, making it the "highest-ever" black money haul by any agency in a single operation, official sources said on Saturday.

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The tax department has deployed about 40 large and small machines to count the currency notes and brought in more department and bank staffers to finish the process, which began on December 6 following raids against Boudh Distillery Private Limited and others, the sources said.

Besides these, more vehicles have also been requisitioned by the department to transport the seized cash to government banks in the state.

(with PTI inputs)