'Don't understand how people accumulate black money': Dhiraj Sahu's post goes viral as I-T detects Rs 300 cr unaccounted cash

An old tweet of Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu, who is at the centre of a storm after recovery of a whopping Rs 290 crore cash from premises linked to him, has gone viral on social media. In a tweet in August 2022, the Congress leader had said that he was distressed to see black money in the country despite demonetisation. He said he did not understand how people can accumulate black money and that only Congress can finish off corruption.

Also read: I-T Dept's biggest-ever seizure: Who is Dhiraj Sahu, liquor baron and Congress' Rajya Sabha MP?

Sahu's post has gone viral, with some pointing to the irony as the Income Tax department has unearthed around Rs 300 crore cash from the premises linked to him. The recovery was made after the I-T sleuths conducted search operations against Odisha-based Boudh Distillery Private Limited and entities linked to it.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Saturday said that as per the information he had till morning, Rs 290 crore cash had been counted, 8 lockers were yet to open, and 10 rooms were yet to open. "If this number goes upto Rs 500 crores, I won't be surprised. Rs 500 crores in cash only, then the property could be of Rs 1,000 crores."

On Sunday, the Income Tax department deployed additional cash-counting machines and manpower to expedite the counting of the seized notes. The raids were still underway.

Sharing a screenshot of Sahu's post, Kanchan Gupta, senior adviser to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, said: "Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu from whose premises, and premises linked to him and his associates, more than Rs 300 crore of unaccounted cash has been seized by IT Department, famously said last year that he "does not know how so much black money is generated; if anybody can halt corruption, it's Congress."

Mandar Natekar, an entrepreneur, said: "Dhiraj Sahu. 500 crores cash in his home and counting. Just imagine that. One small-time MP in a small-time state. Now imagine having control over the central treasury. Imagine having the freedom to loot at will. Imagine the Congress at power in the centre. Just imagine."

BJP's IT Cell head Amit Malviya, too, shared the screenshot of the tweet and said: "Dhiraj Prasad Sahu has a dark sense of humour."