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Dhiraj Sahu IT Raids: After 5 Days, Cash Counting Ends With Total Seizure Of Over Rs.350 Crore

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Odisha: After IT completing raids at Premises linked to Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu, counting of cash seizure has come to an end and over ₹ 350 crore has been recovered. The cash was seized by the Income Tax department from distillery units in Odisha.

This is the highest-ever cash seizure by an agency in a single operation. The counting of the seized currency notes took five days and concluded on Sunday.

The seized cash was taken in bags for counting to three SBI branches — in Balangir, Sambalpur and Titlagarh. The highest cash was recovered in 176 bags filled with cash that were taken to SBI’s Balangir branch, where additional manpower had to be deployed for counting the notes.

Income Tax officials however continue to conduct the survey at properties linked to Dheeraj Sahu with documentation process still on.

During the Income Tax raids at properties connected to Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu, huge stacks of currency notes were seized. According to sources the amount of cash recovered was in excess of Rs 300 crore.

SBI Regional Manager, Bhagat Behera on Sunday said that out of the 176 bags received, 140 have been accounted for, and the counting of the remaining bags is scheduled on Monday.

176 bags full of cash recovered

“We received 176 bags and 140 of them have been counted, the rest will be counted today. Officials from 3 banks are involved in the counting process, and 50 of our officials are involved. About 40 (currency counting) machines were brought here, 25 are in use and 15 are kept as backup,”

Meanwhile, the currency note banding machine was brought to Balangir SBI’s main branch to complete the currency counting process.

Cash worth Over 300 crore recovered

The Income Tax sleuths conducted raids at the premises of Boudh Distilleries Private Limited on Sunday, as the crackdown by the central agency entered its fifth day. Baldev Sahu Infra Pvt Ltd company is a group company of Boudh Distilleries, which is being raised. It is allegedly linked to Sahu.

Income Tax sleuths have, so far, recovered more than Rs 300 crore cash from several locations in Odisha and Jharkhand during their raids against Boudh Distilleries Private Limited (BDPL) and entities linked to it.

The residences of Sahu were also searched. The recovery has given fresh ammunition to the BJP to come out all guns blazing at the Congress on the issue of graft.

Dheeraj Sahu faces Massive criticism

Earlier, on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a swipe at the Congress, tagging a news report about the I-T department’s recovery of Rs 200 crores in cash from various locations of a business group allegedly linked to Sahu.

“Countrymen should look at these piles of currency notes and then hear the addresses of its (Congress) leaders on honesty. Every penny looted from people will have to be returned. This is Modi’s guarantee,” PM Modi posted from his official handle.

Union Minister Amit Shah also criticised the Congress and members of the INDIA bloc for remaining silent on the raids

“I am very surprised. After independence, such a large amount of cash has been seized from an MP’s house. Crores of rupees have been recovered but the whole INDI alliance is silent on this corruption. I understand Congress is silent as corruption is in their nature but JDU, RJD, DMK, and SP all are sitting silently…Now I understand why a campaign was run against PM Modi that agencies are being misused. It was run because there was a fear in their mind that all the secrets of their corruption would be revealed…”.

Congress distances itself from cash recovered

The Congress has chosen to distance itself from the Cash recovered at it MPs home claiming that only Dheeraj Sahu can explain how huge amounts of cash were found at his business.

“The Indian National Congress is in no way connected with the businesses of Dheeraj Sahu, MP. Only he can explain, and should explain, how huge amounts of cash have been reportedly unearthed by the income-tax authorities from his properties” Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said.

With the Congress yet to take any punitive action against its MP the BJP is expected to further raise the pitch on the issue.

Crime

‘They Stepped On My Daughter’s Head…’: Muslim Family Accuses Policeman of Crushing Infant to Death During Raid in Rajasthan’s Alwar

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Alwar, Rajasthan: A one-month-old infant, Alisba, died after allegedly being crushed under a police officer’s foot during a raid in Alwar’s Raghunathgarh village on Sunday (March 2) morning.

The raid, conducted at around 6:00 AM at the house of daily-wage labourer Imran Khan, was led by head constables Girdhari and Jagveer, along with constables Sunil, Rishi, and Shahid.

As per reports, Imran claimed that the police entered their house without warning while his wife was asleep with their one-month-old daughter, who was wrapped in a blanket.

“When I was sleeping on the cot with my infant daughter, the policemen arrived all of a sudden, pulled me out, and sent me out of the room. They also pulled my husband out. They stepped on my infant daughter’s head and killed her. This is murder, and I want justice,” Razida Khan, the mother of the deceased girl, told media.

After the police ignored the family’s complaint, angry villagers gathered outside the Alwar SP (Rural) residence, staging a protest demanding justice.

As per the report, ASP Tejpal Singh confirmed that an FIR was filed against unidentified police personnel, and Imran Khan’s family was assured of action.

Following this, Alwar SP Sanjeev Nain sent the accused officials to police lines. Police sources said the raid was linked to a cybercrime case, but Imran Khan was not named in any FIR. Imran denied any role in online fraud and claimed that the police seized his phone during the raid.

Condemning the incident, Rajasthan LoP Tika Ram Jully urged the Chief Minister to take stringent action against the responsible. “In Alwar, the police are harassing the public in the name of cyber fraud. Raids are being conducted, and money is extorted. I raised this issue in the Vidhan Sabha as well. An infant died during the raid by the police. The Chief Minister should take cognizance and ensure that the public is not harassed. Action should be taken against those responsible, but the public should not be harassed,” he told media.

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Crime

‘India Got Latent’ row: Ranveer Allahbadia to appear before Assam Police today

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Guwahati, March 4: YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia is set to appear before the Assam Police in Guwahati on Tuesday in the case related to his controversial comments on the stage of ‘India Got Latent’ show that has attracted massive backlash for the podcaster.

A case against Allahbadia was registered in Guwahati and he was served summons to appear before the Assam Police here.

The Guwahati Crime Branch last week questioned another YouTuber Ashish Chanchalani, who has also been embroiled in the controversy for his comments made during an episode of ‘India’s Got Latent’ show.

The interrogation lasted several hours after the YouTuber arrived at the Crime Branch office.

“YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani showed up for interrogation at the Crime Branch. He has complied with our inquiry. We will phone him if necessary, but we are not currently calling him again. We have not yet received a response from other people connected to the investigation. They will receive new summonses shortly,” Guwahati’s Joint Police Commissioner Ankur Jain told reporters here.

When Allahbadia made controversial comments on the show hosted by comedian Samay Raina, Chanchlani was listed in the Assam FIR.

Due to his remarks regarding parents and sex in an episode of the show, Allahbadia, better known by his stage name BeerBiceps, faced severe criticism and complaints.

Chanchlani has pleaded that the FIR filed at the Guwahati Crime Branch, Guwahati Police Commissionerate’s Cyber Police Station be quashed.

As the Maharashtra FIR was filed first, the YouTuber requested that the Guwahati FIR be transferred to Mumbai. While considering Chanchlani’s anticipatory bail motion, the Gauhati High Court granted him temporary relief on February 18 and instructed him to appear in person before the investigating officer within ten days.

The lawyer for Chanchlani contended that their client made no statements on the show and that the FIR’s accusations were limited to the co-accused. Under certain provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhtia, Information Technology Act, Cinematograph Act, and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, Guwahati Police filed a formal complaint against Chanchlani on February 10.

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National News

Mayawati blasts decision to remove loudspeakers from religious places

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Lucknow, March 4: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Tuesday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to remove unauthorised loudspeakers from religious places during Ramzan, urging authorities to treat all religions equally and without bias.

Taking to X, Mayawati wrote, “India is a secular country that respects all religions. In such a situation, the central and state governments should treat the followers of all religions equally without any bias, but the step-motherly attitude being adopted with Muslims even in religious matters is not justified.”

She further stressed that rules regarding restrictions and exemptions for religious festivals should be implemented fairly across all faiths.

“The rules and regulations related to restrictions and exemptions for festivals of all religions should be implemented equally without any bias, which does not seem to be happening,” she stated.

The BSP chief warned that such selective enforcement could disturb peace and harmony in society. “It is natural for peace and harmony in the society to deteriorate due to this, which is a matter of great concern. Governments must pay attention to this,” she added.

Ramzan, which began in India on Sunday, marks a month-long period of fasting and special prayers for Muslims. The celebrations are also underway in several other countries following the sighting of the crescent moon.

Throughout the month, Muslims observe fasts from early morning until sunset and participate in special evening prayers known as Tarawih, where the entire Quran is recited.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh administration has launched a crackdown on loudspeakers exceeding prescribed noise levels at all religious sites.

The police have been strictly enforcing the directive, prompting Muslim religious leaders to demand concessions for the use of loudspeakers during Ramzan.

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