Over ₹353 Cr Recovered as 6-Day I-T Raid Concludes at Odisha Distillery

Balangir: Income Tax officials concluded a six-day search at the Sudapada country-liquor manufacturing unit in Bolangir. Two factory managers, Bunty and Rajesh, were taken for questioning to an undisclosed location. The State Bank of India (SBI), which aided in money counting, faced challenges depositing the seized Rs 330 crore, surpassing its Balangir branch’s Rs 350 crore daily transaction capacity.

Officials alerted the RBI as ongoing Income Tax raids continued. Titlagarh saw substantial cash and jewellery seizures on Monday.

Political tensions rose as the BJP alleged a BJD-Congress nexus in liquor business tax evasion, demanding a CBI probe into Congress MP Dhiraj Sahu’s links with the traders involved in the Rs 284 crore cash seizure at Sudapada.

In response, BJP Mahila Morcha staged a demonstration in Bhubaneswar, burning an effigy of MP Dhiraj Sahu, pressing for a thorough investigation. The seized cash situation at SBI emphasized the broader issue of alleged political connections fueling illicit activities.