Tax enforcers open six lockers; four in Raipur, two in Bilaspur
| Date :20-Nov-2020 |
Staff Reporter :
Raipur,
Investigation resumes in post search operations on high-profile individuals, hawala dealers, businessmen on Feb 27, 2020
Team led by two IRS officers of ADIT rank and 6 Tax Inspectors, while DG Investigation HBS Gill monitoring progress of investigation
A six-member team of tax enforcers from New Delhi-based Investigation Wing of Income Tax Department seems to be giving sleepless nights to many in the State Administration. For, the visiting taxmen have resumed their 9 month pending investigations, which apparently, for many had gone to ‘back burner’ ever since the multiple teams of tax sleuths had carried out 4-day extensive and intensive search operations on high-profile individuals, hawala dealers and businessmen on February 27, 2020 in Raipur, Durg and Bilaspur. “The team, which arrived here on Wednesday morning by a regular flight immediately swung into action as they commenced the phase-wise lifting of the Prohibitory Orders (POs) to open sealed bank lockers and premises in Raipur and Bilaspur, which they had sealed during the search operations carried out previously.
Over two dozen POs were placed after the searches,” well-informed sources averred to The Hitavada, requesting absolute anonymity. According to the sources, the visiting team upon their arrival have been lodged at Hotel Mayura, situated near Jaistambh Chowk. “The team led by two Assistant Directors (Investigation), both IRS officers, comprise of six Tax Inspectors, whereas Director General of Income Tax (Investigation) New Delhi, HBS Gill is monitoring the entire proceedings of the investigation. Meanwhile, Raipur-based Investigation Wing of Income Tax Department has merely extended logistical and man power support to the visiting team to visit different places for the investigation purpose,” the sources added. Sources further disclosed that the team of taxmen have so far opened six lockers in past over 24 hours, four in Raipur and two in Bilaspur.
“In Raipur, the tax enforcers on Thursday noon opened two lockers in Bilaspur and another locker in Raipur with Punjab & Sindh Bank. All these lockers are registered operational in the name of a Bilaspur-based liquor contractor, the sources said, adding further that the findings from the lockers have been kept well-guarded secret. Earlier on Wednesday, as per the sources, the taxmen had opened two lockers in SBI Main Branch at Jaistambh Chowk and another with Bank of India. “These lockers were opened under the presence of the Bank Manager as eye-witness and a Chartered Accountant (CA) rendering services to a senior retired IAS officer,” the sources maintained. Unconfirmed sources, in the meantime also disclosed that the team on Wednesday night also visited the residence of a high-profile public representative in Byron Bazaar.
However, there was no off-the-record corroboration to this information. “So much secrecy has been maintained that local tax authorities had no ideas or information pertaining with the surprise visit of the team and later the findings of their probe. The team members are likely to camp in Raipur for over couple of days since they have many premises to cover in Raipur, Durg and Bilaspur, where POs were placed,” the sources added. Income tax searches on February 27 were mounted on the basis of credible inputs, intelligence and evidence of generation of huge unaccounted cash from liquor and mining business and transfer of the same to public servants, huge cash deposits during demonetisation period, accommodation entries from shell companies, undisclosed investment in properties etc. Incriminating documents and electronic data were seized during the searches found that substantial amount of illegal gratification were being paid to public servants and others every month.
Further, daily details of unaccounted sales, bank accounts opened in the names of employees having transactions worth crores and an unaccounted bank account were also found. Details of benami vehicles, hawala transfers, transfer to Kolkata-based companies and creation of shell companies with huge land bank were also discovered and seized. Then the searches had also resulted in the seizure of substantial amount of cash, even as the Income Tax Department had officially confirmed to have unearthed unaccounted transactions unearthed over Rs. 150 crore, pending further investigation, which has now resumed once again.