I-T raids at 46 premises across C’garh
   Date :01-Feb-2024

I-T raids  
 
 
 
 
The Hitavada State Bureau
RAIPUR/BHILAI/DURG/
Ambikapur, 
 
 
In a significant move targeting alleged financial irregularities, the Income Tax Department carried out a comprehensive search and seizure operation across 46 premises, including residential premises, offices and factories in various locations such as Ambikapur, Durg, Bhilai, Raipur, Raigarh, Balod, Lundra, and Bilaspur. Of the premises scrutinised, 17 were linked to former Cabinet Minister and Congress leader, Amarjeet Bhagat and his associates. The operation, initiated under section 132 of the IT Act, involved a team of 300 personnel from Raipur, Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Delhi, Banglore, Odisha, Nagpur, accompanied by a security contingent of 150 armed personnel. Sunil Kumar Singh, Principal Director Investigation (MP/CG) and Rituparan Namdeo, Additional Director (Investigation) are leading the investigation with Sahjanand Singh appointed as the conducting DDIT. The focus on Amarjeet Bhagat stemmed from an Office Memorandum submitted by the Enforcement Directorate regarding the Custom Milling Scam.
 
Investigations revealed alleged kickbacks amounting to Rs 175 crore in connection with payments totalling Rs 500 crore, following a special allowance hike from Rs 40 to Rs 120 per quintal. Another targeted entity was the Ajay Chouhan group, whose business interests are in real estate, automobile agencies, hotels and many others was implicated in alleged tax evasion, overseen by Ashutosh Singh, conducting DDIT. The field operation was led by IRS officers. I-T sources informed that Amarjeet Bhagat is suspected of purchasing 126 acres of land with proceeds from crime. Gagan Giri Goswami, Naval Jain, Ramprasad Bansal, Madanlal Bansal, and Harpal Arora close associates of the former minister are also under scrutiny of the I-T.
 
On the first day of the operation, approximately Rs 2 crore in cash was discovered, with Rs 1.5 crore seized. Valuation of seized jewellery is under way, alongside scrutiny of documents indicating the investment of illicit funds. Additionally, cyber forensic experts from Maharashtra and Gujarat have been engaged to extract digital evidence from seized electronic devices, including hard disks, laptops, smartphones and flash drives. The meticulous process involves data cloning followed by analysis for potential incriminating financial transactions. The operation is expected to continue for three more days before concluding, as per statements from I-T officials.