BHUBANESWAR: As part of its relentless assault on BJD, the BJP on Friday alleged several of the ruling party leaders have links with liquor traders from whose premises hundreds of crores of rupees were seized during the ongoing income tax raids. The party demanded a CBI investigation into the matter.
Addressing media persons here, BJP spokesperson Manoj Mohapatra alleged liquor barons Sahu brothers have links with several BJD ministers and leaders from Boudh, Sonepur, Titilagarh, Rayagada and Bargarh. He showed photographs of several BJD leaders including Water Resources Minister Tukuni Sahu sharing dais with the accused.
The BJP leader demanded the state government should clarify what nexus the ruling BJD has with the Sahu Brothers and others. He said the government should also clear the air on alleged links between the Boudh rice mill and the Sahu brothers.
Mohapatra asked how can a distillery with a business turnover of Rs 120 crore per annum, have Rs 500 crore in cash on its premises. “Were the seized funds meant for use by BJD in elections,” Mohapatra asked.
Earlier on Thursday, BJP MLA from Sundargarh Kusum Tete had alleged former MLA Jogesh Singh had links with the companies that were raided by the Income Tax department. “When the liquor manufacturing unit was set up in Sundargarh, we were informed that it is in the name of Singh’s mother. He had connections with that unit and regularly received money from there,” she alleged.
Singh, however, refuted the allegations and said he never received money from the owners of the distillery. “My family members owned the distillery, but I had no links, business or otherwise with it,” he added. The BJD dismissed the allegations as ‘ridiculous’.
BJD spokesperson Ipsita Sahu told media persons before levelling such allegations the BJP leader should have gone through the statements of the party’s national leaders and those from Jharkhand. Sahu said BJP and Congress leaders from Jharkhand are blaming each other over the issue alleging that the seized money belongs to the other. “It seems both BJP and Congress leaders were keeping money collected from businessmen,” she added.
Stating BJD always respects the rule of law, Sahu welcomed the income tax raids. Sahu alleged BJP leaders from western Odisha have links with the liquor trader, she said adding, the BJP press conference was a panic reaction. “Wait and see, everything will be clear,” she added.