Why Rahul Gandhi silent on seizure of crores of rupees from MP Dhiraj Prasad Sahu? Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad: Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy sought to know why Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was silent on the seizure of crores of rupees from premises allegedly linked to his party MP Dhiraj Prasad Sahu during a recent Income Tax raid.

Addressing a press conference here, Reddy, also Telangana BJP president, expressed doubt that the unaccounted cash which was recovered during the searches might have been meant for use in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The Union Minister dubbed Sahu as "black money, hero" and said the Jhankhand MP is a close confidant of Rahul Gandhi and allegedly supported and fulfilled all the requirements of the Congress leader's 'Bharat Jodo yatra' last year.

"This is an example of how Congress leaders have looted the country. We demand that the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi given an explanation to the people as to why the party nominated him thrice to the Rajya Sabha," he said.

A huge pile of cash has been recovered so far in the searches conducted by the Income Tax department against Odisha-based Boudh Distillery Private Limited and entities linked to it. Premises linked to Sahu were also covered as part of the searches, according to officials.

The amount seized is expected to reach Rs 290 crore, making it the "highest-ever" black money haul by any agency in a single operation, official sources said Saturday.

Reddy said Sahu showed Rs 34 crore as his assets in his Rajya Sabha elections affidavit in 2018. and wondered how he was able to accumulate so much "black money".

He remarked that Rahul Gandhi always makes hue and cry whenever there is an income tax raid in the country and wondered why there was no post on social media from the AICC former president on the matter.

"Why is there no reaction from you when Income Tax department raid the offices of your party MP ? Why have you not posted on social media?" he asked and demanded that Rahul Gandhi respond to the people of this country.

Attacking the Karnataka unit of Congress, Kishan Reddy alleged that several business establishments are being closed in the southern state and shifted to other places due to "corrupt practices " of the state government.

The BJP leader said if elections for the Karnataka assembly were to be held now, his party would win with a huge majority as people are regretting having elected the Congress government.

He claimed that the people will teach a lesson to the Congress party in the next Lok Sabha polls.

Congress CM hits back

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the Centre of targeting only the Congress and not the BJP, in the wake of seizure of unaccounted cash amounting to over Rs 200 crore from premises allegedly linked to Jharkhand Congress MP Dhiraj Prasad Sahu.

He was reacting to the recent Income Tax raids on the entities linked to Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu in Jharkhand and Odisha.

"They (BJP led central government) are only targeting Congress. Let them raid BJP leaders as well. Only then will it be known how much (ill-gotten wealth) they have," Siddaramaiah told reporters.

The CM said whoever amasses black money is wrong, according to the Income Tax Act. Let the I-T department take action as per law.

Indian National Congress in New Delhi said that they do not have any knowledge about the money and that it does not belong to the party.