IT dept conducts a major search and seizure operation in Raipur, Raigarh and Korba
Raipur: The Income Tax Department’s Investigation Wing on Wednesday morning conducted a major search and seizure operation on nearly three dozen premises fanned across Raipur, Raigarh and Korba districts respectively.
The preliminary investigation has hinted about massive tax evasion that may run into crores, but official figures would come to fore only after a tedious work of quantification has been completed.
“Virtually, a small army of over 100 taxmen roped in from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, including Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Raipur, Durg and Bilaspur, are taking part in the searches, which commenced concurrently at 7 am. To ensure that the taxmen on-duty didn’t face any inconvenience or resistance during the operations, they were also provided escort of nearly 80 men-in-uniform by Chhattisgarh Police,” said the official sources.
Say it a mere coincidence that the searches were mounted just 48 afters Abhay Kumar Singh, a 1991-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) cadre officer assumed his charge as new Principal Director of Income Tax (Investigation) for Chhattisgarh-Madhya Pradesh here in Raipur. Moreover, Chhattisgarh state is also witnessing one such biggest search operation after a prolonged gap of nearly two years triggered due to Covid-19 pandemic.
The two groups brought under the blanket cover of the search operations are Sky Alloys and Power Private Limited and Indus Udyog & Infrastructure Private Limited, both dealing in steel and coal trading respectively.
According to the sources, the searches in Raipur were underway at multiple locations including residential, office and factory premises situated at posh Choubey Colony, Sector-1 in Devendra Nagar, Walfort City in Bhatagaon, Om Shri Apartment in Shankar Nagar, VIP Road near Ram Mandir, K K Road, DD Nagar, Siltara, Padmini Enclave on Shankar Nagar-Khamardih road and others. “Our operations have not just enveloped the directors, promoters, investors, business associates but also their family members. “Directors of Sky Alloys and Power Private Limited, which is involved in manufacturing of basic Iron & Steel, are Vinay Kumar Agrawal, Sandeep Kumar Agrawal, Vinay Kumar Agrawal, Sandeep Singhal, Sanjay Goyal Kumar, Ravi Singhal, Arun Singhal, Vikas Agrawal, whereas Directors of Indus Udyog & Infrastructure Private Limited are Rupesh Garg, Ashish Kumar Agrawal, Suksai Paikra, Raj Kumar Agrawal,” the sources affirmed.
In Korba, the tax enforcers also searched business and residential premises of Bhagwan Das Agrawal, who is involved in multiple business ventures including gold, electronics, agro-foods and others. “Two SUV-laden tax sleuths reached here early Wednesday morning and commenced their search operations. The operations were still underway even as it was learnt that Bhagwan Das Agrawal has close ties with one of the powerful and highly influential political figures of the ruling government,” the sources informed.
Similarly, in Raigarh district, the factory premises of Sky Alloys and Power Private Limited, situated at Tetantema village in Kharsia Tehsil, was also brought under ambit of search, apart from covering residential premises of its Manager situated at Sai Heritage Colony.
