Several Income Tax raids are being conducted on Saturday morning at the residences of various Samajwadi Party leaders. Houses of close associates of Akhilesh Yadav are being raided by the IT department, party president Akhilesh Yadav lashed out at the ruling BJP, alleging it was using central agencies to intimidate the Opposition.
“The BJP is going the same route as the Congress. Take a look at the old history of the Congress, whenever it had to intimidate someone, it would use these central agencies. Today, the BJP is doing the same,” said Akhilesh Yadav.
Continuing his attack on the ruling party with the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections around the corner, the former UP chief minister said the BJP now stood exposed before the people, who were firmly on the side of the Opposition.
“The more the BJP’s fear of defeat increases, the round of raids on the opposition will also increase, but the SP’s rath yatra and every other programme will continue unabated,” he declared.
Akhilesh Yadav also charged that the saffron party had failed to fulfill its poll promise to bring “Ram Rajya” in the state.
“The BJP was saying it would bring Ram Rajya. But the path of socialism will bring Ram Rajya. If socialism comes, we will get Ram Rajya,” he asserted.
The Income Tax Department on Saturday conducted raids at SP national secretary and spokesperson Rajeev Rai’s residence in Uttar Pradesh’s Mau on Saturday.
A team of I-T officials from Varanasi arrived in Mau early on Saturday morning and began searches at Rai’s home in the Sahadatpura area around 7 am. The SP leader and his family have been confined inside the house for the last two hours.
On learning of the raids, SP workers gathered outside Rai’s residence and raised an outcry. Police have been posted to maintain law and order and keep the situation under control.
It is believed that the I-T raids on Rajeev Rai are on suspicion of tax evasion.
The I-T department is also conducting raids at the premises of RCL group owner Manoj Yadav in Mainpuri and Jainendra Yadav in Lucknow. Both men are said to be close to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
In Mainpuri, I-T officials arrived in a convoy of 12 vehicles and cordoned off Manoj Yadav’s residence. No person is allowed to enter or leave the house. Officials are conducting searches and questioning people.
A search is also underway at Jainendra Yadav’s home in the Ambedkar Park locality of Lucknow. After five hours, a six-member team of income tax officials emerged with sheafs of documents. They also reportedly seized hard disks and other electronic devices from Yadav’s house.
