Income Tax officials on Tuesday raided atleast 20 locations across New Delhi and Gurugram in connection with proxy land deals involving former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD boss Lalu Prasad Yadav. The tax watchdog claims Lalu and sons had benefited from multiple benami property transactions to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore.
Even as over 100 officials and policemen went about looking for evidence, Lalu took to Twitter, where he refused to bow down before the ‘BJP’s efforts to malign his image.’
Lalu’s Rashtriya Janata Dal says the Centre has been plotting against regional powers, by fielding the CBI and other central investigation agencies to probe corruption charges. In a heated press conference, senior party leader Manoj Jha said those opposing the BJP-ruled Centre and its policies have often been falsely implicated in corruption cases.
We are aware of nation-wide developments. Lalu, Kejriwal, Mamata and other dissenting leaders. Regional parties are being silenced.Manoj Jha, Leader, RJD
Cornered by a string of cases, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too joined the RJD’s chorus. Several of her party leaders face charges of money laundering, the most notable being the Narada Sting that rocked the TMC government a few years ago.
The Congress too threw its weight behind Lalu, adding that the BJP had been using agencies to subdue political opponents. Incidentally, the CBI on Tuesday raided several offices of senior Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram and his son Karti in connection with a graft case. Karti faces charges of facilitating foreign investment clearances to INX media, for which he allegedly received a massive kickback.
Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam
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