The Income Tax Department on Friday conducted searches at the residential premises of two Jharkhand Congress MLAs — Kumar Jaimangal and Pradeep Yadav — sources familiar with the development said.
Jaimangal alias Anup Singh is a legislator from Bermo, while Yadav, who joined Congress after splitting from the JVM-P, represents Poreyahat. Vehicles bearing Bihar registration number purportedly belonging I-T officials were spotted outside Jaimangal’s residence. Sources in Godda also confirmed the presence of I-T officials at Yadav’s residence.
According to reports, Jaimangal purportedly told the media that people who don’t listen to the BJP, their houses will be raided. In his election affidavit, Jaimangal had stated that he does not own any immovable property.
According to a PTI report, the I-T Department is conducting the searches as part of an investigation into tax evasion charges.
Jaimangal had been in the news after he had filed a complaint in Jharkhand, leading to the registration of a zero FIR, following the arrest of three Congress MLAs in West Bengal with Rs 50 lakh in cash on July 31.
He alleged a bid to topple the JMM-Congress-RJD government in the state, with an offer of Rs 10 crore per MLA and claimed that the three MLAs had lured him to meet Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma — an allegation termed “fraudulent” by BJP leaders.
In 2021, too, Jaimangal had filed a similar complaint, saying attempts were being made to “destabilise the coalition government in Jharkhand”.
Source: india Express
