Chhattisgarh: IT dept conducts searches at premises of state govt official, businessmen

The Income-Tax Department on Thursday conducted raids at multiple locations in Chhattisgarh, including the premises of a state government officials and some businessmen, an official said.

The searches are underway since early this morning in different districts, including Durg, Mahasamund and Korba, he said.

"An IT team assisted by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is at the residence of Soumya Chaurasia, the deputy secretary at the Chief Minister's Office in Bhilai town of Durg district. However, the nature of the action being carried out by the department is not yet clear," a senior police official said.

Chourasia is a State Administrative Service (CAS) cadre officer.

The searches were also underway at the premises of some businessmen, including a prominent one who is close to senior politicians.

Further details of the action are awaited.

In February 2020, the IT department had conducted raids at several places in the Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, including Chaurasia's house.

At the time, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had slammed the BJP-led Union government and accused it of "weakening" the federal structure and trying to "destabilize" the Congress government in the state.