I-T raids on 4 shoe exporters of Agra, Noida-based realtor
AGRA/MEERUT The income tax department on Tuesday raided multiple premises linked to a Noida-based realtor, who is said to have political connections, and four Agra-based footwear exporters as part of a tax evasion investigation, official sources said.
They said offices and other locations of the realtor and footwear exporters in Agra, Noida and Delhi were covered as part of the searches.
The action was an outcome of heavy investments in real estate and purchase of properties in prime locations by the footwear exporters in recent times, but the quantum of seizures was not revealed, they said.
The raids took place at different spots including the exporters’ residences in Agra’s posh localities of Bharatpur House, Lajpat Kunj and Vijay Nagar Colony apart from the locations in Delhi and Noida.
The operations were led by additional director of income tax (investigations) Neelam Agrawal, and assistant director of income tax (investigations) Ashima Mahajan. The raids began around 7am and were continuing when reports last came in.
In Agra, the premises of Om Exports, Tara Innovations and Nuova Shoes were raided but officials of these firms were not available for comment.
Meanwhile, the Noida-based builder’s house was raided by the I-T department’s team in his native village Mehrampur in Baghpat at 5am on Tuesday. Deputy director of Income Tax Rajeev Prasad was leading the team.
The team faced mild resistance from villagers but the police managed to keep them away and the team searched the house. The builder was said to be close to the Samajwadi Party.
The realtor is stated to have developed commercial and residential projects in Noida, Greater Noida and some other locations in the National Capital Region, said sources.
Samajwadi Party leader and former member of state planning commission Sudhir Panwar described the raid as a “targeted operation” and accused the ruling BJP of violating ethics to win the elections.
Panwar raised questions over the timing of the raid, and said: “The BJP grossly misused government agencies to win elections, which is against democratic values of the country.”
He said the raids would pave the way for victory of SP in forthcoming UP Assembly elections, as similar operations in West Bengal and Rajasthan resulted in the success of non-BJP parties.
“What is there to fear if none has done any wrong? It’s true that the Samajwadi Party and its leader are little bewildered these days as the fragrance of the Samajwadi perfume has turned into a stench,” said Keshav Prasad Maurya, deputy chief minister, UP.
“The BJP is trying to terrorise opposition parties by using CBI, ED and other agencies. But they are mistaken. These only show the BJP’s desperation,” said Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party leader Om Prakash Rajbhar, whose party has inked a pre-poll pact with the Samajwadi Party.
Earlier while commenting on I-T raids on some of his party leaders, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav too had said that these operations only showed how desperate the BJP was. “Now, income tax has come and shortly enforcement directorate and the CBI would come too,” Yadav had said while accusing the BJP of misusing central agencies for poll gains.
I-T agencies had previously raided Kannauj businessman Piyush Jain, who BJP leaders claimed, was connected with the launch of Samajwadi ‘itar’ in Lucknow in November.
