Dhiraj Sahu I-T raids: Cong distances, says MP should explain; note counting on

Congress commented on the huge amount of money surfacing in I-T raids at MP Dhiraj Sahu's properties and said party is not connected to his business.

As the counting of notes on premises linked to Congress MP Dhiraj Sahu continued on Saturday and is yet to be over, the Congress said the party is not connected to the businesses of the MP. Only the MP himself can and should explain how such a huge amount of cash has reportedly been unearthed by the income tax authorities from his properties, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said after the BJP sharpened its attack on the party over the issue. PM Modi tweeted about this huge cash haul and said it is Modi's guarantee that every penny has to be returned to the public. BJP leaders shared Dhiraj Sahu's photo with Rahul Gandhi asking the party to break the silence on the issue.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu is at the centre of a huge political slugfest after crores of unaccounted cash were found in premises linked to him.

The income tax raids started on Wednesday but even after 4 days, the officials on Saturday said the counting of the notes was not yet over. The SBI regional manager said full staff were not deployed in the counting work as the bank was also open. The counting could hopefully be wrapped up by Sunday with the deployment of more note-counting machines and personnel, manager Bhagat Behra told ANI.

So far, a total of ₹300 crore have been unearthed from the premises all in cash kept in the racks of almirahs. This is going to be the biggest ever "black money" haul by any agency in a single operation, reports said.

More men, more machines, more vehicles needed for Dhiraj Sahu's money: What we know so far

1. The raids have been going on in three states -- Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal -- in connection with an Odisha-based distillery group which is linked to Congress MP Dhiraj Sahu.

2. Dhiraj Sahu has been Congress's Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand since 2010. His son Ritesh Sahu is the managing director of the company on I-T radar -- Boudh Distillery Private Limited. Dhiraj Sahu's elder brother Uday Shankar Prasad is the chairman.

3. The company manufactures extra-neutral alcohol which is a raw material for making alcoholic beverages.

4. This group is also a partner of Baldeo Sahu and Group of Companies which has been accused of tax evasion.

5. The huge stash of money also has ₹500 denominations which were banned after demonetisation in 2016. It is believed that these notes have been stored for a long time as some have developed mildew.

6. BJP workers staged a protest outside the Congress headquarters in Delhi against the alleged corruption. The protest was also attended by West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, and MLA Vijendra Gupta among others.

7. BJP's Amit Malviya shared Dhiraj Sahu's photo with Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and said the yatra was actually to unite the thieves of the country.

8. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala asked why Dhira Sahu was sent to the Rajya Sabha thrice after losing two Lok Sabha elections. "Rahul Gandhi has been conspicuously silence on the obscene cash recoveries! Why?? Who was that money meant for?? Yeh rishta kya kehlata hai?" Poonawala wrote on X.