New Delhi:
Amid a full-blown crisis in the ruling Congress in Rajasthan, the Income Tax Department on Monday carried out searches at business establishments, including a popular jewellery chain, linked to party leaders for alleged tax evasion. Though there was no official statement on the development, sources in the Income Tax Department said that searches were carried out in four cities — Delhi, Jaipur, Kota and Mumbai.
Tax sleuths raided premises of Amrapali Jewels, owned by Rajasthan state Congress vice president Rajiv Arora, and Om Metals Infra Project Limited, whose promoter is believed to be close to Congress leaders in the state. The timing of the searches, which came amidst an intense power tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot, was criticised by the ruling Congress.
Premises of senior Congress leader Dharmendra Rathore were also searched. Income Tax officials said the raids began early morning of Monday in Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai and Kota. At least 80 tax sleuths, apart from police officials, took part in the searches, they said.
They said the department initiated action on the basis of inputs of alleged cash transactions and under-reporting of profits by the business groups under scanner. The premises of Om Metals Infra Project Limited in Delhi and Kota were also searched. The company also deals in hydro mechanical equipments and was awarded a contract to build a dam in Rajasthan in 2018.
Phone calls and e-mail sent by PTI to the company remained unanswered. The department also searched a luxury hotel whose shareholder is one R K Sharma, stated to have links with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also probing Sharma on charges of alleged violation of forex laws related to remittance of over Rs 96 crore from Mauritius and has summoned him under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) for questioning. The ED had questioned some people in this case a few days back, they said.
Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala targeted Prime minister Narendra Modi and Union Home minister Amit Shah over the I-T raids on the premises of some people linked to the Congress in Rajasthan. He alleged that the Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation are the BJP’s frontal departments, but asserted that such raids will not help the party topple the government. Congress MLAs were holed up Monday in a resort near Jaipur after a legislature party meeting, where they expressed support for Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot and only indirectly referred to Sachin Pilot, whose rebellion threatens his government.
Sources said top party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were also in touch with Pilot, assuring that his grievances will be addressed.
