CM Baghel terms I-T raid at Saumya Chaurasia's residence as political vendetta

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday said that the raid at Deputy Secretary Saumya Chaurasia's residence is a political vendetta against his government.

"The government is not against any investigation into corruption cases but the officials should have informed us before coming out on the streets with armed forces," Baghel told reporters.

He was speaking to the reporters at Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur after his flight to Delhi got diverted to Jaipur. He was scheduled for a meeting with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi.

Earlier today, the Chief Minister said that the state Congress Committee will stage a protest outside Income-Tax Department's office on Saturday.

This comes after officials of the Income Tax Department conducted a raid at Saumya Chaurasia's residence in Bhilai on Friday.

"We met the Governor of the state and put forward our point of view as to how people were not even informed about the I-T raids. They are roaming around in the state with the armed forces from Jagdalpur to Raigarh, creating an atmosphere of fear. State Congress Committee will stage a demonstration outside the I-T office today," Baghel told reporters here.

The I-T Department on Thursday conducted raids at 25 premises, including those of Congress leader and Raipur Mayor Ajaz Dhebar and senior IAS officers in the state.

The officials raided properties of Ajaz Dhebar, his brother Anwar Dhebar and liquor baron Pappu Bhatiya.

Searches were also conducted on the premises of senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, Vivek Dhand and Anil Tuteja. Dhand is also a former Chief Secretary of the state.