Following the recovery of estimated Rs 290 crore in cash by the Income Tax (I-T) department during its raids on properties linked to Baldeo Sahu and Group of Companies Ltd., a country liquor company run by the family members of Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand Dhiraj Sahu, Jharkhand Congress in-charge Avinash Pandey on Sunday said that a clarification has been sought from Sahu in connection with the recovery, reports PTI.

Pandey, however, clarified that is it a private matter of Dhiraj Sahu and the party has nothing to do with it.

He also said, “The party has a clear-cut stand that it is a private matter of Dhiraj Sahu, which has nothing to do with the Congress party.”

IT raids against Boudh Distilleries Private Limited and its partnership firm Baldeo Sahu and Group of Companies Ltd. began in Odisha on December 6, following which an estimated Rs 250 crore in cash has been allegedly recovered. This would make it the “highest-ever” cash haul by any central agency in a single operation.

VIDEO | “Unaccounted” cash amounting up to Rs 250 crore is expected to have been recovered during the searches being conducted by the Income Tax Department against an Odisha-based distellery group and its linked entities in Bhubaneswar. The raids, that were launched on December 6… pic.twitter.com/gjxfvXhkYn

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 8, 2023

Till Friday, around Rs 225 crore was recovered. According to sources, almost Rs 230 crore cash was seized from about 8-10 almirahs kept on a premises of the company in Bolangir district in Odisha, while the rest from locations in Titlagarh, Sambalpur, Sundargarh and Bhubaneshwar in Odisha and in a few places in Jharkhand, including capital Ranchi, reported The Indian Express. Properties linked to some liquor traders were also searched in Rourkela and Rayagada.

The searches began after the Income Tax Department received “actionable intelligence” of a huge amount of “out of book” sales and cash being remitted by liquor distributors, sellers and business groups.

Pandey also said that the central agency has not made any official statement so far, and that allegations against the Congress party is “unfortunate” and alleged a “conspiracy” to defame the Congress party.

“The family which has business establishment for more than 100 years here and it is the joint business of the family. Dhiraj Sahu is just a part of the business. But, Sahu should clarify how such big amount came to him,” Pandey said.

Speaking at Congress headquarters, Pandey alleged that a conspiracy is being carried out to defame the opposition parties in the country.

“Since the day a majority alliance government came to power in Jharkhand, BJP has been hatching a conspiracy to destabilise it. This is not only in Jharkhand but the conspiracy is being done against all non-BJP governments elected through democratic process in the country under ‘Operation Lotus’. BJP is doing it openly without caring about any constitutional values,” he said.

Congress communications head Jairam Ramesh also took to X to assert the party’s position in the matter, and wrote, “The Indian National Congress is in no way connected with the businesses of Dhiraj 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.”