Around 150 income tax officials and cops posed as COVID-19 warriors to gain access to the premises
Around 150 officials from Madhya Pradesh's Income Tax department posed as COVID-19 warriors as they raided 20 premises belonging to business groups in Bhopal early Thursday morning.
Multiple teams of IT officials and Special Armed Forces (SAF) police personnel arrived at the premises in vehicles with stickers that read: "Government of Madhya Pradesh, Health Department COVID-19 team welcomes you".
According to sources associated with the searches, documents and details of about 100 properties were found.
The value of these properties, which are located in Bhopal and neighbouring Sehore district and include two cricket grounds, runs into hundreds of crores, sources said. Cash worth ₹ 1 crore was also seized, sources added.
Sources also said the head of one of the two business groups being raided - Faith Group's Raghvendra Singh Tomar - is linked to a powerful BJP leader, who is currently a cabinet minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.
Around 150 officials posed as COVID-19 warriors to raid 20 premises in and around Bhopal
The minister, from the Gwalior-Chambal region, reportedly played a key role in the fall of the 15-month-old Kamal Nath-led Congress government in March.
Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja tweeted: "This is nothing but a move to limit the rising stature of a cabinet minister. Recently the same minister publicly admitted Raghvendra Singh Tomar was like his younger brother. Now the BJP needs to clarify the minister's relations with Mr Tomar".
BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal hit back, saying: "The Income Tax department is doing its job as per law, but the Congress is making false accusations just to defame BJP politicians".
Sources said the raids could lead to information about links with bureaucrats, politicians and cops, as well as possible unaccounted investments made by rich and influential individuals involved in the group and with its many properties.