The Mumbai unit of the Income Tax department on Friday morning began conducting raids at almost 50 locations linked to Pushpraj “Pampi” Jain, an MLC who had launched “Samajwadi ittra” last month.
Sources said that raids are underway all over India as major case of tax evasion is being probed. Pushpraj came under spotlight after his name got mixed up with Peeyush Jain, a UP trader who has been sent to judicial custody after over Rs 194 crore in cash, 26 kg gold and huge quantity of sandalwood oil were unearthed at properties linked to him. Sources in the Income Tax department have confirmed that they have found tax evasion of more than Rs 100 crore.
Both Pushpraj and Peeyush have the same first initial and the same surname, Jain. They hail from the same neighbourhood, Jain street in Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj. The two are in the same trade of perfumes, and both their names are frequently cropping up in a bitterly contested election campaign.
An official said that along with Pampi Jain, teams of Drugs Controller General of India are conducting raids at factories and houses of another famous perfume maker, Malik Mian. The I-T sleuths, later in the afternoon, also conducted raids in Lucknow’s Hazratganj area at the residence of Yakub Malik’s brother.
The raids began at 7 am from properties in Mandai and Chhipaiti areas in Kannauj’s Sadar Kotwali. Besides Kannauj, raids are being conducted in Noida and Kanpur too, officials said.
Sources said Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is set to hold a press conference in Kannauj, and Pushpraj Jain is likely to accompany him. The SP president was scheduled to visit Pampi’s residence during his visit to the town on Friday. The region has found itself in political speeches ever since the raids at Peeyush Jain’s residence.
“As soon as Akhilesh Yadav announced the press conference in Kannauj, the BJP government began conducting raids at SP MLC Pampi Jain’s place. BJP’s fear and anger is clear. People are ready to teach BJP a lesson,” the Samajwadi Party said.
Attacking the I-T department and other central agencies, senior leader Ram Gopal Yadav said, “These agencies don’t do any work during elections and are put on poll duty. The raids are a party of their election job. Why are they conducting raids during poll season? Wasn’t Pampi Jain in the country before polls?”
According to sources, around 12 pm, the I-T department began searches at Adijin Perfumes Pvt Ltd in Malad West. They directors of the company are said to be Pushpraj Jain and Aarti Jain.
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