Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) leader faced two big blows on Tuesday after the Income Tax Department had reportedly linked multi-crore properties worth Rs 1,000 that belong to the Deputy Home Minister and his family members. This alleged development comes hours after former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the ED.
Media reports say that posh properties like Nirmal Tower, a sugar factory were seized by the IT Department sleuths. The seized properties were located in Maharashtra, Delhi, and Goa reportedly. The officials termed the properties as Benami properties and the Anti-Benami act was used in the case.
It has been widely reported that the income tax (I-T) department had also seized the plush resort and a few lands across Maharashtra. The worth of the seized properties is believed to be close to Rs 1,000 crore. The incident had started a storm in Maharashtra politics.
Reports say that the Income Tax Department officials have termed the seized properties as the belongings of Ajit Pawar and his family members. As per the law, they have to prove that these properties belong to them within 90 days.
The IT department had seized the properties weeks after conducting raids at the properties and firms that belong to the sisters of Ajit Pawar. The Deputy Chief Minister said the BJP is targeting them with the help of the central agencies.
This is the new development in the search operation that was started by the I-T department last month. The alleged operation was launched after unearthing an income of around Rs 184 crore that went unaccounted from the records.
It has to be noted that former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Monday night after grilling him for 12-long hours in connection with a money laundering case.
Anil Deshmukh was asked to appear before the ED office on November 1st, a day after arresting one Santosh Shankar Jagtap, who is said to be the middleman in the extortion row that was leveled against Anil Deshmukh. After questioning him, he was arrested. The back-to-back incidents have started a war between NCP and BJP.