Income Tax searches 7 places in Chhattisgarh, 2 linked to Bhupesh Baghel’s aide

Saumya Chaurasia, an officer of the Chhattisgarh Administrative Service, joined the chief minister’s office in December 2018, within days of Bhupesh Baghel taking charge as chief minister

Published on: Jun 30, 2022, 14:16:06 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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The Income tax department is conducting searches at seven locations in Chhattisgarh including two places linked to deputy secretary in the chief minister’s office, Saumya Chaurasia, people familiar with the development said.

Income tax officials carried out searches at seven locations in Chhattisgarh linked to influential businessman Surya Kant Tiwari and CMO deputy secretary Saumya Chaurasia (Sourced)

The searches, which are being conducted by tax officials requisitioned from outside Chhattisgarh, started at about 6am.

“Search operations of I-T Department are going on at seven locations in Chhattisgarh including two locations linked to Chaurasia,” a senior Chhattisgarh government official said.

The five other locations are linked to Surya Kant Tiwari, a businessman, who is considered to be close to some politicians and bureaucrats.

Chaurasia, an officer of the Chhattisgarh Administrative Service (CAS), joined the chief minister’s office soon after chief minister Bhupesh Baghel took oath in December 2018.

This is the second time that she is being raided by tax officials in a little over two years.

Chaurasia’s Bhilai house was first searched by income tax officials in February 2020, prompting Bhupesh Baghel to send an angry letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over what he called ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘politically motivated’ income-tax (I-T) raids in the Congress-ruled state. Baghel’s letter alleged that the raids coincided with a criminal investigation initiated by his government into acts of corruption under the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

In a statement on March 2, 2020, the finance ministry later said the raids in Chhattisgarh on February 27 2020 were carried out on individuals, hawala dealers and businessmen in Raipur on basis of credible inputs and evidence of the generation of huge unaccounted cash from liquor and mining business and its transfer to public servants, huge cash deposits during the demonetisation period, accommodation entries from shell companies and undisclosed investment in properties.

The statement also said that the investigation revealed “total unaccounted transactions” of over ₹150 crore.

It is not clear if the fresh round of searches are being conducted as part of the investigation into the 2020 case or in a new one.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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