In 'highest-ever' cash seizure at Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu's premises, IT Dept deploys more men and machine

The counting of cash is taking place at the main branch of the State Bank of India in Odisha's Bolangir, Hindustan Times reported.

The amount of cash recovered in income tax raids at premises linked to Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu has reached Rs 318 crore, the report said.

An India Today report earlier citing tax officials said that the amount of cash seized during the raids on Sahu’s properties is likely to exceed Rs 290 crore, making it the agency's "highest-ever" seizure in a single operation.

The undisclosed cash stowed in the premises during the Income Tax department raid, started on December 6 at Odisha-based Boudh Distillery Private Limited and related entities, has escalated to Rs 300 crore and is anticipated to surpass Rs 350 crore.

Initially, over 30 officers, along with bank staff, were engaged in counting the seized money.

To expedite the counting process, the IT department deployed around 40 large and small machines and called in additional department and bank personnel.

However, as the cash pile continued to mount, the department decided to mobilise more cash-counting machines and personnel to hasten the overall process.

On Sunday, several images emerged showing officials counting stacks of money retrieved from the residences of Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu.

Meanwhile, the Congress has distanced itself from Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu following the discovery of a humongous amount of cash seized in connection with the liquor company linked to him.

"The Indian National Congress is in no way connected with the businesses of Dheeraj Sahu, MP. Only he can explain, and should explain, how huge amounts of cash have been reportedly unearthed by the income-tax authorities from his properties," AICC general secretary Communications Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.