The seizure of “unaccounted" cash in the Income Tax department raids on Odisha-based distillery group and its linked entities is expected to reach Rs 290 crore, which would make it the “highest-ever” black money haul by any agency in one single operation, official sources said on Saturday (December 9). The tax department has put to work nearly 40 large and small machines to count currency notes and brought in more department and bank staffers to finish the counting process, which began on December 6 following raids against Boudh Distillery Pvt Ltd and others, they said.
What else is the I-T department doing?
In addition to these, more vehicles have also been requisitioned by the department to transport the seized cash to government banks in the state.
“A premises linked to Congress' Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand, Dhiraj Prasad Sahu, were also covered as part of the searches,” sources said.
The officials are now recording the statements of various company officials and other persons involved, the sources.
The counting of cash is expected to finish by Saturday.
“The total seizure of unaccounted cash is expected to be about Rs 290 crore. More than Rs 250 crore cash has been seized till now, and cash is continuously being deposited in government bank branches in Odisha,” sources added.
The notes constitute mostly of Rs 500 denomination.
“This is the highest-ever cash seizure made by an agency in the country as part of an action against a single group and its linked entities,” they added.
I-T Department intensifies crackdown
The I-T Department has stepped up crackdown on a liquor distillery group in Odisha.
The sleuths have seized another 20 bagloads of cash from the residence of a countrymade liquor manufacturer in Sudapara area of the Bolangir district on Saturday, after initially recovering nearly Rs 225 crore till Friday.
(With PTI inputs)
