BJP Targets Rahul Gandhi as Income Tax Department Recovers Over ₹300 Crore from Congress MP’s Linked Premises

New Delhi, December 10, 2023: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intensified its attack on Rahul Gandhi following the reported recovery of substantial cash from locations associated with Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu. The Income Tax department’s ongoing search operation at a distillery company owned by Sahu’s brother in Odisha’s Balangir has led to the seizure of more than ₹300 crore in cash.

As the marathon search operation entered its sixth day, new counting machines were brought in this morning to tabulate the vast sums of recovered cash. BJP chief JP Nadda, addressing Rahul Gandhi directly, stated in Hindi, “Brother, you and your leader Rahul Gandhi will have to answer. This is new India; here, exploitation of the masses in the name of the royal family will not be allowed. You will be tired running away, but the law will not give up pursuit. If Congress is the guarantee of corruption, Narendra Modi is the guarantee of action against corruption. The public’s money will have to be returned.”

बंधु जवाब तो देना पड़ेगा, तुमको भी और तुम्हारे नेता राहुल गांधी को भी। ये नया भारत है, यहाँ पर राजपरिवार के नाम पर जनता का शोषण नहीं करने दिया जाएगा।भागते भागते थक जाओगे, लेकिन क़ानून पीछा नहीं छोड़ेगा।

अगर कांग्रेस भ्रष्टाचार की गारंटी है तो मोदी जी भ्रष्टाचार पर कार्यवाही की… pic.twitter.com/4WtnUoXs88

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) December 10, 2023

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy questioned Rahul Gandhi’s conspicuous silence on the matter, saying, “I want to ask Rahul Gandhi why is he silent on I-T searches against Dhiraj Sahu? You always criticize the Income Tax Department, but why are you silent now?”

The Income Tax department has recovered more than ₹300 crore from the premises of Boudh Distilleries Private Limited, owned by the Sahu family. Dhiraj Sahu, a Rajya Sabha Member from Jharkhand, is part of the Sahu family. The raids were initiated based on actionable intelligence regarding significant “out of book” sales and cash remittances by liquor distributors, sellers, and business groups.

Out of the ₹300 crore recovered, ₹250 crore were found in several almirahs at the company’s premises in Bolangir. The total amount of seizure is expected to exceed ₹350 crore. Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Chirag Paswan criticized the Opposition, stating, “This is an old tradition of opposition leaders, first they will do corruption and once they’re caught, they will try to brush it aside. Whoever is found guilty during the investigation, action must be taken against that person.”

BJP leader LK Bajpai emphasized that Rahul Gandhi should answer whose money it was, adding, “This incident has shown a mirror to those who regularly used to speak against the CBI and ED and had formed the INDI alliance to save themselves.”

Congress has distanced itself from Dhiraj Sahu, with leaders expressing surprise at the recovery of such a large amount of cash. Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay remarked, “Dhiraj Sahu and his family should now justify this… who keeps so much money in houses… this is surprising.” Jharkhand health minister and Congress leader Banna Gupta stated that Dhiraj Sahu’s business is personal, and the investigation by the Income Tax Department will provide clarity.

The developments have triggered a fresh wave of political exchanges as the investigation unfolds.