by NEW DELHI: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a scathing attack on SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and staunchly defended the raids on a perfume maker in Uttar Pradesh from whom nearly Rs 200 crore in cash along with gold and other valuable items were seized, and said they were based on actionable intelligence.
“Law enforcement agencies work on actionable inputs and then they conduct searches… Those questioning the searches, I want to ask them… Did the agencies come empty handed? No. It means the inputs provided were correct,” Sitharaman said when asked about the tax raids.
She said it was the duty of the former UP CM to condemn such acts of tax evasion and not question the professionalism of investigation agencies. “He should not be raising doubts about the professionalism of the enforcement agencies, which have gone there and proven that house had… the height of the wall is the height of the cash. This is proof that the law enforcement agencies are doing the right work, they are catching the evaders,” said Sitharaman as she launched an all out attack and mounted a strong defence of the raids. She said common people do not keep such huge amounts of cash and gold.
During investigations, the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) had unearthed cash worth Rs 197.49 crore, 23 kg of gold and other high-value goods from two premises — of Odochem Industries, Kannauj, a manufacturer of perfumery compounds, and its proprietor Peeyush Jain.
Former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav had claimed that the enforcement agencies had raided the wrong man and had alleged links with BJP. “How does he know? Does he know them so well? How does he knows whose money is kept there? Is he a partner? If he so sure to say it is BJP’s money, how is he so sure?” asked Sitharaman.
“I am saying it is not BJP’s money. He (Jain) has been caught red handed, maybe he is his partner, friend I don’t know… That is why the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh is so shaken,” said the FM.
The income tax authorities on Friday also conducted searches at multiple premises of perfume traders in Kanpur and Kannauj, and that of SP MLC Pushpraj Jain.
“Today when income tax raids are taking place … information is there actionable intelligence is there that is why they have gone there. They have gone there after getting some information about this sector across the country… they are getting unconnected material from here,” the FM said.
“Law enforcement agencies work on actionable inputs and then they conduct searches… Those questioning the searches, I want to ask them… Did the agencies come empty handed? No. It means the inputs provided were correct,” Sitharaman said when asked about the tax raids.
She said it was the duty of the former UP CM to condemn such acts of tax evasion and not question the professionalism of investigation agencies. “He should not be raising doubts about the professionalism of the enforcement agencies, which have gone there and proven that house had… the height of the wall is the height of the cash. This is proof that the law enforcement agencies are doing the right work, they are catching the evaders,” said Sitharaman as she launched an all out attack and mounted a strong defence of the raids. She said common people do not keep such huge amounts of cash and gold.
During investigations, the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) had unearthed cash worth Rs 197.49 crore, 23 kg of gold and other high-value goods from two premises — of Odochem Industries, Kannauj, a manufacturer of perfumery compounds, and its proprietor Peeyush Jain.
Former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav had claimed that the enforcement agencies had raided the wrong man and had alleged links with BJP. “How does he know? Does he know them so well? How does he knows whose money is kept there? Is he a partner? If he so sure to say it is BJP’s money, how is he so sure?” asked Sitharaman.
“I am saying it is not BJP’s money. He (Jain) has been caught red handed, maybe he is his partner, friend I don’t know… That is why the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh is so shaken,” said the FM.
The income tax authorities on Friday also conducted searches at multiple premises of perfume traders in Kanpur and Kannauj, and that of SP MLC Pushpraj Jain.
“Today when income tax raids are taking place … information is there actionable intelligence is there that is why they have gone there. They have gone there after getting some information about this sector across the country… they are getting unconnected material from here,” the FM said.
