While Padmapur is gearing up for high-voltage campaigning ahead of the December 5 bypolls, politics has heated up over Income Tax and Goods and Services Tax (GST) raids at various places in Padmapur. Income Tax officials conducted several raids at the residences of some businessmen associated with the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
In the presence of armed CRPF jawans on Monday, Mo. of Padmapur. Sajid, Manbhanjan Sahu, Gajanan Agarwal and Mohd. Raids started on properties related to Javed. He is a close associate of BJD. The Income Tax team did not allow their lawyers to enter the businessman’s house during the raid.
On the other hand, GST officials raided several shops including that of Padmapur Nagar BJP President in the evening.
According to sources, GST officials raided at least seven shops in Padmapur, Bargarh, Paikamal and Jharbandh simultaneously. They raided Jagadamba cloth store, Meenakshi Jewelery and Uddipak Indane at Padmapur, Nrusingh petrol pump and Nrusinghnath Medical Store at Paikmal, and Bikash Hardware at Jharbandh.
Padampur Town BJP president Sunil Agarwal, owner of Jagdamba cloth shop, BJD MLA Shashi Bhushan Behera said that this is unfortunate and such action is unacceptable during by-elections. “It is a plan to hide the weakness of the BJP,” he said.
Congress MLA Suresh Routray said, “Both BJD and BJP are doing politics in the name of raids.”
Senior BJP leader Prithviraj Harichandan said, “The central agency is doing its job as per the rules and regulations. It is not right to give exemption in the name of by-elections. Let the law take its course.”
The bypoll in Padmapur assembly constituency is necessitated due to the death of BJD MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3.
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