Chhattisgarh govt locks horn with Centre over I-T raids on state officials

The Income Tax raids on nearly 25 government premises linked to Chhattisgarh officials, on Thursday (February 27), and the consequent retaliatory action of the state dispensation, a day later, in seizing around 19 cars, reportedly hired by the I-T officials on charges of traffic rule violation, has led to charges and counter charges between the BJP and the Congress.

The move of the I-T sleuths to avail the services of the CRPF while asking the local staffers to keep away is very much in line with what happened in Tamil Nadu when the then chief secretary Ram Mohan Rao was raided by the I-T department.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday (February 28) slammed the raid calling it a ‘political revenge’ and claiming it to be an attempt to ‘destabilise’ his government. He said, “There is an attempt to destabilise our government as we have a majority. This action has been taken with bad intent.”

Adding that they (Congress) have never stopped a raid, he said, “We have never stopped Income Tax raids. Earlier, there used to be prior information but now there is no information. This is political revenge.”

Senior Congress MLA and party’s state chief Mohan Markam said that he came to know about the I-T raids at various locations, including at his party mayor’s premises and other officials in Raipur, through media reports.

Pointing to the seizure of cars purportedly used by the I-T officials, BJP leaders in the assembly alleged that the police were trying to obstruct the raids on state officials.

When questioned about the seizure of cars, the state police said that the cars were checked keeping in mind President Ram Nath Kovind’s visit to Raipur on Sunday and when it was noticed that vehicles belonging to private travel operators were parked in a no-parking zone they were seized. They added that they were released after imposition of penalty.

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The raid was conducted by a team of 300 officers from New Delhi after  charges of tax evasion were filed against state government officials including the state Deputy Secretary Saumya Chaurasia, a senior IAS officer in the state.

The premises linked to AK Tuteja, joint secretary in the commerce and industry department, retired IAS officer and former chief secretary Vivek Dhand and Raipur Mayor Ezaj Dhebar were also searched.

Dhand is also the Chairman of Chhattisgarh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) and a former chief secretary.

Some locations linked to liquor barons Anwar Dhebar (Mayor Ezaj Dhebars brother) and Pappu Bhatia were also raided, reports said.

Properties connected to a road construction contractor and a Chartered Accountant, accused of helping companies with dubious black money transactions, were also searched.

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There has been no official word from the I-T department with regard to  the result of the searches.