Chhattisgarh raids: I-T to issue summons to take probe forward

The Income Tax Department is expected to soon summon some government officials and businessmen in Chhattisgarh after it raided their premises and claimed that unaccounted cash was being paid to public servants every month, officials said on Sunday.

Businessman Baldeo Singh Bhatia alias Pappu Bhatia, however, clarified that it was "factually incorrect that any income tax raid was carried out at his establishments or the establishments of his relatives or any business owned and operated by him".

Police officials in Raipur had earlier said that premises linked to Pappu Bhatia were also covered as part of the action undertaken on February 27.

However, it turned out to be that of Amolakh Bhatia.

The tax department will soon summon people to take the probe in the case forward, the officials said.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had said in a post-search statement that "unaccounted transactions" of more than Rs 150 crore were unearthed during the raids conducted against a group of individuals, hawala dealers and businessmen in state capital Raipur that covered over 25 premises.