IT Raid at Ex-Chhattisgarh Minister's Residence Ends on Fifth Day

In the last five days, the officers of the Income Tax Department has searched the residence of Congress leader Amarjeet Bhagat along with the premises of his associates in Ambikapur, Lundra, Raipur, Bhilai and Durg. The former minister's close aides are being questioned and many documents were seized.

Surguja (Chhattisgarh): The Income Tax Department's raid at the residence of Congress leader and former minister of Chhattisgarh, Amarjeet Bhagat, ended on the fifth day today. The IT team has sealed the residence of a businessman and close aide of Bhagat, Raju Aggarwal, who has gone missing ever since the raid started.

A joint team from Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh launched searches at Bhagat's office in Bauripara and residence in Ambikapur on January 31. Several documents were examined and seized during the raid.

A host of premises linked with the former minister were also raided in the last five days. Also, searches were conducted at a house in Parvatipur, a pipe factory at Gadaghat, crusher plant at Lundra and the residence of his private secretary Rajesh Verma in Rajpur.

The IT team detained Pramod Toppo, an engineer and close aide of Bhagat and interrogated him. Later, the team also raided the house of Bhagat's personal secretary Franklin Toppo and the residence of former Cow Seva Commission member Atal Yadav.

The officers sought documents from Bhagat's CA HS Jaiswal. The central agency has brought Bhagat's associates under scanner. His aide Nageshwar Yadav, general secretary Ganesh Yadav and Congress leader Manoj Yadav are now under IT surveillance.

A close watch is being kept on Dilip Dhar, a close aide of both Bhagat and TS Singh Deo and is being interrogated. This apart several contractors are already being questioned.

Although IT officials did not reveal the reason for the five-day raid, it is likely that it is connected with an alleged coal levy scam case in which 35 people including Bhagat have been named in an FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau based on a complaint of the Enforcement Directorate.

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