Fourth day of probe: Buried cash mystery deepens as IT team finds documents in Prayagraj

Assistant director (Investigation), IT department, Abhay Kumar Sonker, who is supervising the operation, said investigators had recovered documents sealed in three plastic packets. Officials believe these could help establish the source of the cash.

The source of cash buried beneath a house in Baraipur Ramnagar village remained unclear on Saturday, even as the income tax (IT) department’s investigation team continued excavation for the fourth consecutive day and recovered three packets of documents. The operation follows Wednesday night’s recovery of three blue plastic drums containing cloth-wrapped bundles of ₹500 notes from the premises.

IT teams in Baraipur Ramnagar village of Prayagraj (Sourced)

Assistant director (Investigation), IT department, Abhay Kumar Sonker, who is supervising the operation, said investigators had recovered documents sealed in three plastic packets. Officials believe these could help establish the source of the cash.

“For the last 72 hours, excavation at the ancestral home of Rajesh Yadav and Rakesh Yadav has continued, with more than a dozen labourers working in shifts. In addition to cash, some valuable items, wrapped in multiple layers of plastic to prevent deterioration, have also been recovered. Documents indicating parts of the financial trail have surfaced during the digging. At this stage, it is too early to draw conclusions about the entire case,” Sonker said.

A senior official from the department’s investigation wing, requesting anonymity, said a three-member team was questioning the brothers jointly and separately. Inconsistencies had emerged in their statements, the official added.

Investigators are examining the brothers’ previous employment at a bullion trader’s workshop in Pune, their return to Prayagraj during the Covid-19 pandemic, the source of funds used to purchase nearly 22 bighas of land across three locations in Nawabganj over five years, and investments in their steel and cement business.

Officials said the probe had revealed financial links in Pune and was likely to expand to another house built by Rakesh Yadav in the same village from Sunday. Family members may also be questioned.

Villagers said the family’s fortunes changed after the brothers returned from Pune during the pandemic. They allegedly acquired around 22 bighas of land worth over ₹10 crore, built a house estimated at nearly ₹1 crore, purchased tractors, a pickup vehicle and DJ equipment, and entered the cement and steel trade.

The cash recovery came to light during a criminal investigation. On October 21, a neighbour, Abhishek Kumar, lodged an FIR at Nawabganj police station accusing Rajesh Yadav and four family members of assault.

During the inquiry, police reportedly received a tip-off that stolen money had been buried on the property. A raid on Wednesday night led to the recovery of three drums packed with bundles of ₹500 notes, prompting a wider probe into suspected tax evasion, money laundering and possible theft.

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Three drums yield ₹3.20 crore

PRAYAGRAJ The Income Tax department on Saturday confirmed a cash recovery of ₹3,20,93,000 from three blue drums unearthed at a house in Baraipur Ramnagar village under Nawabganj police station limits.

DCP Ganganagar Sonam Kumar said the currency counting had been completed, but search operations at the house were still underway.

The department completed counting the currency kept in the Nawabganj police station’s strongroom, confirming the total seizure at over ₹3.20 crore. HTC