After the completion of currency counting in 176 bags following Income Tax raids at properties linked to Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu, the Income Tax department is set to deposit all the seized cash at the Balangir SBI main branch on Monday, adhering to official procedures.
SBI’s main branch is assured to continue regular public operations smoothly, as confirmed by the SBI Regional Manager. While the currency counting process progresses, Income Tax officials are still conducting surveys at properties associated with Dheeraj Sahu, with documentation procedures ongoing.
During the Income Tax raids, substantial stacks of currency notes were confiscated, and sources indicate that the recovered cash exceeds Rs 300 crore. SBI Regional Manager, Bhagat Behera, reported on Sunday that out of the 176 received bags, 140 have been accounted for, and the counting of the remaining bags is scheduled for Monday.
“We received 176 bags, and 140 of them have been counted; the rest will be counted today. Officials from three banks are involved in the counting process, and 50 of our officials are participating. About 40 currency counting machines were brought here, with 25 in use and 15 kept as backup.”
Simultaneously, a currency note banding machine was brought to the Balangir SBI main branch to facilitate the currency counting process. Income Tax authorities expanded their raids to the premises of Boudh Distilleries Private Limited on Sunday, marking the fifth day of the crackdown by the central agency. Baldev Sahu Infra Pvt Ltd, a group company of Boudh Distilleries allegedly linked to Sahu, is under scrutiny.
Income Tax officials have recovered over Rs 300 crore in cash from various locations in Odisha and Jharkhand during their raids against Boudh Distilleries Private Limited (BDPL) and affiliated entities. The residences of Sahu were also searched, providing ammunition for the BJP to criticize the Congress on corruption.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah expressed their concerns, with PM Modi emphasizing the need for accountability and Shah questioning the silence of Congress and members of the INDIA bloc on the corruption issue. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh distanced the party from the cash recovery, stating that only Dheeraj Sahu could explain the presence of large amounts of cash at his business.
As the Congress refrains from taking punitive action against its MP, the BJP is likely to intensify its stance on the issue.
