MP CM's aide dubs I-T raids as "political action"

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Praveen Kakkar has alleged that the Income Tax raids at his premises were politically motivated, and claimed nothing objectionable was found against him in the two-day operation.

The I-T Department on Monday had said it detected a "widespread and well-organised" racket of collection of unaccounted cash of about Rs 281 crore during raids against close aides of Nath and others.

It said the sleuths recovered Rs 14.6 crore of "unaccounted" cash and seized diaries and computer files of suspect payments made between Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said the department also detected a trail of Rs 20 crore suspect cash allegedly being moved to the "headquarters of a major political party in Delhi" from the house of an important person who lives on Tughlaq Road, home to many VIPs.

However, Kakkar refuted the claims, saying he had nothing to do with 'hawala' or funding of any political party.

"I think this was completely a political action. The Income Tax department found no such documents, cash or jewellery, which could be called objectionable, from my or my family's premises," he told reporters outside his home in the Vijay Nagar area here late Monday night.

"During the investigation of my two bank lockers, the I-T officials did not find any objectionable thing. I have nothing to do with the hawala or funding for any political party," he asserted.

Kakkar alleged that the I-T officials broke the door of his house to enter the premises, which was "wrong".

"The I-T officers from Delhi were in my house for 48 hours, they broke the door around 3.30 am on Sunday to enter my house. The way of entry in my house was wrong," he said.

"However, nothing objectionable was found which could be seized or recovered during the intense search operation that lasted two days," he added.

The family of Kakkar, a former Madhya Pradesh Police officer, is associated with various businesses, including hospitality.

He had earlier served as OSD to former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria during the UPA regime.

The I-T department launched pre-dawn searches on Sunday at 50 locations in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh against people linked to Nath on charges of alleged tax evasion.

The searches concluded in Bhopal and Indore Monday evening.