Express News Service
LUCKNOW: The Income Tax (I-T) department conducted raids on the premises of several persons associated with the Samajwadi Party (SP) in different cities across UP on Saturday morning.
Premises of Rahul Bhasin and Neetu Yadav alias Gajendra Singh Yadav in Lucknow, Manoj Yadav in Agra and Mainpuri, and Rajeev Rai in Mau were raided by the I-T sleuths. The I-T searches were also conducted in Mainpuri, the parliamentary constituency of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav. All the premises raided said are said to be the financers of Samajwadi Party.
A team of 12 I-T sleuths from Varanasi reached the residence of Rajiv Rai, secretary and spokesman of Samajwadi Party, in Sahadatpur, Mau, on Saturday morning. As per the sources, a group of educational institutions in Karnataka owned by Rajiv Rai, had been under I-T scanner for quite some time.
Moreover, raids were also conducted on the premises of Neetu Yadav, who was SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s OSD, when the Samajwadi Party was in power. Neetu Yadav is said to be a small time electrician who allegedly amassed properties during SP regime and now owns two huge bungalows in posh Gomtinagar area of Lucknow.
Searches were also conducted on premises of RCL group owner Manoj Yadav in Mainpuri and Agra.
IT department sources said that after UP, another team was sent to Haryana as the leader has links there as well. “We conducted raids in several places in Haryana. He has links in Haryana too. Their premises were raided,” said the source.
Mau: An Income Tax raid is underway at the residence of national secretary of Samajwadi Party (SP), Rajeev Rai.Raids are underway at a few more locations at the premises of people of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. More details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/yJIDwC75qF
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 18, 2021
Reportedly, the IT officials have recovered incriminating documents in the raid.
The people connected to shell companies, reportedly related to SP leader, were questioned by the IT officials.
While the raids in UP were conducted this morning, the raids in Harayan were conducted in the noon. Further probe in the matter is on.
Speaking to ANI, Rai said, “This is IT department. I’ve no criminal background or black money. I help people and government didn’t like it. This is a result of that. If you do anything, they’ll make a video, register an FIR, you’ll fight a case unnecessarily. There is no use let the procedure complete.”
Meanwhile, reacting to I-T raids on his close aides, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav who had been taking out the seventh leg of his Viajy Rath Yatra in Raebareli on Saturday, attacked the BJP accusing it of misusing agencies on the lines of Congress.
Yadav questioned its timing and called it the “fear of defeat in the BJP”. He claimed that the saffron party had used the I-T department, a central agency, to terrorise its rivals. “The income tax raids were being conducted at the behest of the ruling party,” he said.
Addressing a press conference in Raebareli, Yadav said: “I-T has already arrived, soon ED and CBI will also come to UP. But this is not going to stop the march of Samajwadi Party. Rajeev Rai is our leader. Why are the raids being done now and not earlier? Now, the IT department will contest polls.”
“From journalists to farmers to Azam Khan, everyone who has raised a voice against atrocities, will be targeted. The BJP is now following the way shown by Congress by misusing central agencies,” said Akhilesh. He added that such raids show the frustration of the BJP.
Yadav further said the ruling party had followed the similar things in Bengal elections and people taught them a lesson. “Here too people know why such raids are being done now. The BJP’s time is over now, people are going to elect the Samajwadi Party government in the next elections,” added Yadav.
भाजपा का हार का डर जितना बढ़ता जायेगा, विपक्षियों पर छापों का दौर भी उतना बढ़ता जाएगा फिर भी सपा का रथ व हर कार्यक्रम बदस्तूर चलता जाएगा।अब तो जनता पूरी तरह भाजपा के ख़िलाफ़ विपक्ष के साथ खड़ी है, अब क्या बाइस के लिए भाजपा सरकार उप्र की बाइस करोड़ जनता के यहाँ छापे डालेगी। pic.twitter.com/yerCG1A107
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) December 18, 2021
Similarly, Income Tax department is also conducting searches at the residences of Jainendra Yadav, reportedly a close aide of Akhilesh Yadav, in Lucknow and RCL Group promoter Manoj Yadav.
Income Tax department conducting searches at the residences of Jainendra Yadav (pics 1-2), reportedly a close aide of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, in Lucknow and RCL Group promoter Manoj Yadav (pics 3-4).The residence of national secretary of SP, Rajeev Rai is also being raided. pic.twitter.com/zs2u7JsXsO
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 18, 2021
(With inputs from agencies)
