'Whose money'—BJP questions RaGa over Rs. 300cr Congress MP-linked recovery
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after the Income Tax (I-T) Department recovered over Rs. 300 crore in cash from raided properties of an Odisha-based distillery group. The business is reportedly run by the Congress's Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu's family. BJP chief JP Nadda called it an "exploitation" of people by "the royal family." Notably, officials expected the recovery to cross Rs. 350 crore, possibly the agency's biggest-ever cash recovery.
Why does this story matter?
Since Wednesday, the I-T Department has raided multiple locations associated with Boudh Distillery Private Limited (BDPL) in three states on suspicion of tax evasion. Sahu's family is said to be running this large alcohol manufacturing company based in Odisha. His son Ritesh Sahu is the managing director of his BDPL, while his elder brother Uday Shanker Prasad is the company's chairman. According to reports, the department has launched the raids on "out-of-book" sales and remittances based on "actionable intelligence."
Gandhi will have to answer, says Nadda
Addressing Sahu, Nadda wrote on X in Hindi, "Brother, you and your leader [Gandhi] will have to answer. This is new India; here, exploitation of the masses in the name of the royal family will not be allowed." "You will be tired running away, but the law will not give up pursuit," he said. Meanwhile, Union minister G Kishan Reddy questioned Gandhi's silence. "You always criticize the Income Tax Department but why are you silent now?" he wrote.
BJP chief's X post on Sahu controversy
Raids following intelligence tip-off on out-of-book sales
In the ongoing raids in Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, notes worth over Rs. 300 crore have been counted so far. However, officials expect the total to cross the Rs. 350 crore mark in what is being termed the biggest-ever cash recovery. At least Rs. 250 crore was recovered from almirahs at BDPL's premises in Bolangir alone. These raids were reportedly initiated based on intelligence tipoff regarding significant illegal sales and cash remittances by liquor distributors, sellers, and business groups.
PM Modi comments on I-T raids at Odisha-based distillery
While the ongoing raids have led the BJP to launch scathing attacks against the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also commented on the matter. Regarding the I-T Department's raids, he tweeted, "Countrymen should look at these piles of currency notes and then hear the speeches of its (Congress) leaders on honesty." "Every penny looted from people will have to be returned," he added.
Congress distances itself from Sahu's business
Meanwhile, the Congress has distanced itself from the raids, with General Secretary Jairam Ramesh saying only Sahu can and should explain this massive cash recovery from properties linked to him. Other Congress leaders, including Subodh Kant Sahay and Banna Gupta, also sought answers from Sahu and his family. Gupta said that since an investigation was being done, everything would be crystal clear after that. He emphasized that it was Sahu's business and had nothing to do with the party.
