"No connection with the party...": Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury denies Congress connection with cash seized from its MP Dheeraj Sahu
New Delhi: After the seizure of more than Rs 300 crore cash by the Income Tax Department connected to Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that the property has no connection with Congress party.
"This has nothing to do with the Congress party. It has no connection with the party... The government should investigate and find whose money is this and how it has been accumulated," said Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party's National President JP Nadda on Monday slammed the Congress over cash seizures from Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu and said that Congress and Corruption are two sides of the same coin. The BJP president led a massive protest by the BJP at the Gandhi statue in Parliament over the the cash seized during IT raids on premises linked to him.
"From the beginning, BJP has believed that Congress and Corruption are two sides of the same coin. Congress is known for malpractice; it is known for criminalisation. This is the policy of Congress. Right now money is being withdrawn from the accounts of Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu, the Almira is full of black money, the money of poor people and the counting is still going on. Don't know where this counting will stop. This is the tip of the iceberg," JP Nadda said.
The BJP president further asserted that PM Modi has clearly said that no corrupt person will be spared.
"Congress is a party steeped in corruption. They always keep blaming ED and IT. Today BJP wants to ask Rahul Gandhi what he has to say on this. Sonia Gandhi has always raised questions on central agencies, today everyone wants to know about them. PM Modi has clearly said that we will not spare any corrupt person. Congress will have to answer how this money of the poor was looted. BJP put all of them behind bars," he added.
Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Javdekar said " Rs 354 crore has been recovered at the house of Dheeraj Sahu, how has so much cash been found? Congress claims that he is a businessman and he has to explain, but which businessman keeps so much cash? This cash is the ATM of the Congress which is why the Congress has not even suspended the MP. Dheeraj Sahu is in the business of liquor and he has looted from the poor and become the ATM of the Congress. The nation is angry with this and will teach a lesson to the Congress."
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey also claimed that eight lockers are still there to be opened.
"This is the biggest recovery in the history of the country. Eight lockers are still there to be opened. All of this cash belongs to Congress that's why they are remembering Bangaru Laxman... When ED investigates this further, connections will come out..." said BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.
MoS MEA V Muraleedhanran said, "When people in the country are using digital payment mode even to buy vegetables now, the Congress should give an answer on the recovery of crores of rupees in cash from the premises of a Congress MP."
Meanwhile, as the currency counting of 176 bags is completed after the Income Tax raids at properties connected to Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu, the Income Tax department will deposit all the sized cash at the same bank in Balangir SBI main branch following the official procedure on Monday. SBI's main branch will function smoothly for the public regularly, SBI Regional Manager said.
During the Income Tax raids at properties connected to Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu, huge stacks of currency notes were seized. According to sources the amount of cash recovered was in excess of Rs 300 crore.
Meanwhile, Income Tax officials continue to conduct the survey at properties linked to Dheeraj Sahu with the documentation process still on. Searches are on at Balangir in Odisha as well as in Jharkhand.
