ANS: Former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi urged authorities to take swift action by immediately arresting and rigorously interrogating Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu, following the Income Tax department’s seizure of over Rs 300 crore from his properties in Odisha and Jharkhand.
Addressing a press conference, Marandi made grave allegations, claiming that the approximately Rs 300 crore in cash recovered during the IT raids is linked to top Congress leaders and Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
Marandi went on to assert that the money trail extends to Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, alleging that these funds are connected to a liquor scam, the mastermind of which hails from Jharkhand. He expressed concerns that the substantial amount may have been stashed away to potentially influence election outcomes.
Suspicions arose regarding the transportation of funds in ambulances towards Odisha, Bengal, and Bihar, especially in the aftermath of ED raids in Jharkhand. Marandi revealed that these discussions persist even today, fueled by the recovery of such a vast sum of money.
Highlighting the extent of corruption in the region, Marandi pointed out those significant amounts had previously been unearthed in ED raids in Jharkhand. He described a state of affairs where ill-gotten wealth had been used to purchase gold, which was then buried underground and concealed.
Marandi concluded by emphasizing that as the investigation progresses, further revelations are expected to come to light, shedding more clarity on this ongoing financial controversy.