‘Nothing to do with Congress’: MP Dhiraj Sahu’s first reaction after record-setting Odisha IT raids unearth ₹351 crore

After emerging at the centre of India’s biggest IT raids recovery worth ₹351 crore, Congress MP Dhiraj Prasad Sahu said that the money has nothing to do with Congress or any other political party. In his first media interaction after the IT raids at his premises, the Rajya Sabha MP said that only Income Tax department will decide whether the money recovered was black money or not.

“Let the side of the Income Tax Department come whether it is ‘Kaala Dhan’ or ‘Safed Dhan’. I am not in the business line. The members of my family will answer this,” he told ANI on Friday.

He also made it clear that his party has to do nothing with the money recovered from his premises.

“I don’t know how people are viewing this but I can confidently say that this money has nothing to do with Congress or any other political party,” he added.

The Income Tax Department seized over ₹350 crore from properties linked to Baldeo Sahu and Group of Companies Ltd. The countrymade liquor manufacturer is being run by family members of Congress Rajya Sabha member Dhiraj Sahu. The IT department continued its searches this week at several premises in Odisha as well.

The IT department concluded its raid at Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu’s premises in Odisha’s Balangir on Tuesday.

Income tax officials on Tuesday concluded an IT raid at Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu’s premises in Odisha’s Balangir. The IT department recovered around ₹280 crore cash from Dheeraj Sahu’s Balangir premises alone, reported ANI citing sources.

On Sunday, during the Income Tax raids at properties connected to Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu, huge stacks of currency notes were seized.

“We received 176 bags and 140 of them have been counted, the rest will be counted today. Officials from 3 banks are involved in the counting process; 50 of our officials are involved. About 40 (currency counting) machines were brought here; 25 are in use and 15 are kept as a backup,” the SBI Regional Manager told ANI.