Taxmen search-ops envelop 3 more premises in Raipur

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Extending the scope and range of ongoing search and seizure operations, sleuths from Income Tax Department’s Investigation Wing on Friday mounted consequential searches at three more premises in State Capital, Raipur. The new premises enveloped include two residential and one office premise belonging to a private finance broker and real estate agent, both linked with Harpal Arora, a close associate of former Minister Amarjeet Bhagat. The new premises covered by taxmen swoop is office and plush bungalow of finance broker Pankaj Gulani, both situated near Prabhat Talkies and Sector-1 in Devendra Nagar, whereas another location brought under the ambit of I-T search-ops is residence of real estate agent Bhagwat Verma. “Based on documents seized during the rummaging of various locations, incriminating evidence were found that links Harpal Singh Arora with Pankaj Gulani and Bhagwat Verma, with regards to funnelling of ‘black money’ for purchasing immovable properties,” knowledgeable sources revealed to ‘The Hitavada’, requesting anonymity.

 

In the meantime, according to the sources, tax officials vacated two out of 46 premises since the search ops ended here, which includes the office premise of Harpal Singh Arora, situated at C-2/202, Aishwarya Chambers, situated on GE Road here and one more location based in State Capital. Sources affirmed that the fresh searches are fallout of multiple evidences, including loose papers and digital footprints, recovered from various premises of former Amarjeet Bhagat and his close associates, which hinted towards channelling and funnelling of ill-gotten money and its further systematic projection and infusion into the mainstream through investment for acquiring untainted properties – both prime residential and commercial ones. “Statements of both the individuals, Pankaj Dulai and Bhagwat Verma, were being recorded under Section 132 (4) of Income Tax Act,” the sources added. Sources also disclosed that a team of taxmen also operated 4 out of 8 lockers traced to former Minister Bhagat and his close aides, from where around 3 kilogram gold including bullion and jewellery, were seized and its market valuation is over Rs 2 crore. However, there was no furthermore seizure of unaccounted cash on the third day of the searches, they affirmed.

 

Moreover, the taxmen continued their investigation at all the remaining places of Durg-based Ajay Chouhan Group and its business associates in connection with tax evasion, as searches are expected to continue for another couple of days. The concurrent searches, which commenced on Wednesday morning, were still going on with full steam, with 300 tax enforcers roped in from Bilaspur Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Delhi, Bangalore and Odisha, taking part in it. In order to ensure that the tax sleuths didn’t face any resistance and impediment in effective discharge of their duties, 150 armed policemen were accompanying them at 44 remaining locations, spread in Ambikapur, Durg, Bhilai, Raipur, Raigarh, Balod, Lundra, and Bilaspur districts respectively. Alone 17 premises are linked to former Cabinet Minister and Congress leader Amarjeet Bhagat, his son Aditya Bhagat and their close associates, of which the foremost includes builder and top realtor of Raipur Harpal Singh Arora, as well as Kailash Bajaj, Ramprasad Bansal and Madanlal Bansal.