Hardly, one week after the Income Tax department conducted nearly three-day raids at the New Alipore flat of Swarup Biswas, a ruling Trinamul Congress leader and brother of Arup Biswas, a minister in the Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet, last week the central investigating agency I-T on Friday recovered huge cash around Rs 58 lakh during its 48 hour-long raids at the office of a prominent sattu manufacturing company in the city.
Another investigating agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing teachers’ recruitment scam in the state had recovered hard cash Rs 41 lakh during its raids at the Bolpur residence of the minister Chandranath Sinha one week ago.
But the I-T could not recover any cash or jewellery so far from the residence of Swarup Biswas, whose wife is a Trinamul Congress councillor and a borough chairman of Kolkata’s civic body.
Recovery of huge cash during two separate raids within a gap of one week is significant, particularly 20 days ahead of the seven-phase general elections starting from 19 April in the country.
A team of I-T officials conducted raids at the office of the sattu manufacturing company, reportedly at Chetla for two days and recovered the huge amount.
As per the standard operating procedure of the IT, the investigating officials have informed the Election Commission of India (ECI) about the seizure of the cash from the Chetla office.
The I-T4 officials have asked the owner of the sattu manufacturing company to appear at the I-T office next week, it’s learnt.
Central government agencies like ED and IT have intensified their raids in different parts of the city ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
The search operations by the I-T officials at the New Alipore residence of the Trinamul Congress leader had continued for about 72 hours since morning on 20 March to investigate his alleged involvement in alleged tax evasion by two big real estate companies in the city.
According to I-T sources, “The raids were carried out for alleged ‘tax evasion and possession of disproportionate assets’ allegedly by the ruling party leader.
He had alleged links with some real estate developers from where funds were transferred to his account violating IT rules, sources felt.
Central forces had been deployed at his residential premises during the raids on and from 20 March.
On the other hand, ED probing the state school services recruitment scam had conducted raids simultaneously at six places in the city and Mr Sinha’s residence in Bolpur in Birbhum district last week.
The central investigating agency had raided the minister’s residence to find out his alleged link in the teachers’ recruitment scam in the state.