In the realm of illicit finances, a new global record has been set, marking an unprecedented discovery of unaccounted wealth at the residence of a senior parliamentarian, not just in India but worldwide. Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh stand as economic powerhouses due to their rich reserves of minerals like coal, uranium, and diamonds.
Back in 1974, I authored a significant report shedding light on grave crimes associated with coal and uranium smuggling. Similarly, during Lalu Yadav’s early tenure in 1990, I extensively covered and published reports and editorials exposing the approximately 900 crore corruption scandal in the fodder scam, supported by concrete documentation—the largest in comparison to the 64 crore Bofors scandal.
However, despite the discovery of a substantial 350 crore cash hoard linked to senior Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu in recent Income Tax raids, ongoing investigations delve into uncovering more undisclosed wealth.
The Congress party’s response of brushing this off as a private matter raises questions. Does holding membership in the Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha, as seen with individuals like Dheeraj Sahu or Mahua Moitra, suggest immunity for engaging in personal financial misconduct?
The leadership of parties like Congress, operating across multiple states, seems deeply entrenched in corruption and unethical practices, involving vast amounts of money, navigating further into this murky realm of wrongdoing. Several weeks ago, allegations surfaced regarding scams involving the Mahadev betting app and lucrative liquor contracts, implicating Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh.
Presently, grave accusations are arising against family members of a longstanding Congressaffiliated leader, centering on the misuse of political influence tied to wealth discovered during raids on their residences.
Notably, these individuals from the Sahu family hold positions within the Congress Party in Jharkhand, enjoying favor within the party’s structure and government circles due to their affluence and allegiance.
Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu faces mounting challenges as the Income Tax department conducted consecutive six-day raids at his residence. The department has sealed ten locations across Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal associated with the Sahus. The vast sum of cash recovered during these raids posed difficulties for the Income Tax department, leading to technical issues with their note-counting equipment.
The seizure totals approximately 350 crores in cash, with estimated irregularities amounting to around 500 crores.
The Sahu family’s political journey began in 1977. Dheeraj Sahu’s brother, Shiv Prasad Sahu, was a twotime Lok Sabha MP from Ranchi on Congress tickets. Dheeraj Sahu, a resident of Lohardaga in Jharkhand, declared assets worth a total of 35 crores in his 2018 Rajya Sabha election affidavit.
He claimed a movable property of 2 crores, listing several luxury cars, including Range Rover, Fortuner, BMW, and Pajero. Sahu has been elected to the Rajya Sabha three times and served as a member of the Advisory Committees for the Ministry of Power and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
The current raid is reportedly related to suspicions of tax evasion at Boudh Distillery Private Limited. Close associates of Dheeraj Sahu hold key positions in this company. Ritesh Sahu, Dheeraj Sahu’s son, is the Managing Director of Boudh Distillery. The company’s Chairman is Uday Shankar Prasad, Dheeraj Sahu’s elder brother.
The company produces extra neutral alcohol, used in the production of alcoholic beverages. Dheeraj Sahu’s relatives are associated with a significant alcohol business in Odisha. The BJP claims that Dheeraj Sahu is a close friend of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Approximately 300 crores have been seized from his residences so far. This raises the question: why hasn’t Rahul Gandhi commented on this matter yet? The BJP has also accused the Congress of consistently supporting corruption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also targeted the Congress in connection with this raid.
PM Modi criticized the Congress during a popular play named ‘Money Heist,’ stating that the Congress has been looting the country for 70 years. In a post on the social media site ‘X,’ he said, “Who needs the story of ‘Money Heist’ in India when you have the Congress party, whose dacoities have been famous for 70 years and are still ongoing!”
He attached a caption to a video shared by the BJP, which reads, “Congress presents ‘Money Heist.’” The Prime Minister wrote on the social media site ‘X,’ “Citizens should see the heaps of these notes and then listen to the ‘speeches’ of Congress leaders on honesty. The one who has looted the public will have to repay every penny, this is Modi’s guarantee.”
Meanwhile, Union Minister Smriti Irani stated that Congress should inform the country whose ATM this Congress MP is and how corruption is taking place in the ‘shop of love? Dheeraj Sahu has served as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament three times. He first became a Rajya Sabha MP in 2009.
Then, in July 2010, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand. Subsequently, for the third time, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha in May 2018. Before being elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2018, in the pre-election affidavit, Dheeraj declared his assets at 34.83 crore rupees.
He claimed to have movable assets worth 2.04 crores. According to the affidavit, there were no criminal cases against him. Besides, he owns a Range Rover, a Fortuner, a BMW, and a Pajero. Congress and coalition leaders continue to be exposed for their involvement in black money.
Whether it’s the discovery of 42 crores in cash at the home of a Congress leader in Bangalore, the uncovering of 200 crores in cash at Piyush Jain’s residence during the UP elections, the finding of 50 crores in cash and gold at Mamata Banerjee’s minister Partha Chatterjee’s house, or the discovery of 142 crores in black money in Chennai.
Dheeraj Prasad Sahu’s social media post has sparked discussions, where he sarcastically criticized the opposition parties regarding black money and corruption. In his post dated August 12, 2022, he wrote, “Even after demonetization, seeing so much black money and corruption in the country makes me distressed. I can’t understand where people accumulate so much black money? If corruption can be eradicated from this country, it is only through the Congress party.”