Jharkhand: The Income Tax Department conducted searches at properties linked to Congress MLAs Kumar Jaimangal and Pradip Yadav in Ranchi today. Jaimangal alias Anup Singh is a legislator from Bermo, while Yadav represents the Poreyahat town in Jharkhand.
Congress is a partner of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in the state. Jaimangal said he was cooperating with the I-T Department which is conducting the searches as part of an investigation into tax evasion charges. Hitting out at the BJP, Jaimangal said, "The searches were carried out under the pressure of the BJP. Such action will have to be faced by those who are against BJP. I am against BJP and so, I am facing it. But, it can't scare me."
Jaimangal had earlier lodged a police complaint saying that three of his party legislators -- Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixal Kongari, were planning to topple the UPA government in Jharkhand. The complaint was filed after the three Congress MLAs were arrested with cash in West Bengal in July.
State Congress spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan alleged the I-T searches were part of an operation to destabilise governments in non-BJP ruled states.
"The I-T Department is a constitutional body, we respect that. But, the timing raises questions," he said. BJP legislative party leader Babulal Marandi said his party has nothing to do with such raids. "The I-T operations at houses of Anup Singh and Pradip Yadav are being forcefully given political colour to divert people's attention from the act (of tax evasion)," state BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said.
(With inputs from PTI)
