IT, Todi and CPM claim no politics behind raid

IT, Todi and CPM claim no politics behind raid
SABYASACHI BANDOPADHYAY

KOLKATA, FEB 15: For the fourth day today, following the raids on the business establishments of Shrawan Todi -- a businessman close to both the government and the ruling CPI(M) in the state -- the IT department has put a lid on all queries. Ever since the news leaked, Income Tax authorities in Kolkata maintained an enigmatic silence. The raid started on February 12 and, according to IT officials, the search operations are still on.

Income tax officials, who reportedly found some papers at Todi's office that links his business with that of a former chief minister's son, refused to explain why they visited an office at Bondel Road in South Kolkata, belonging to the former CM's son, on the first day of the raid.

``I neither deny it, nor do I confirm it. The search operations are still going on. I have been asked by my senior officers not to speak to the press about the raids,'' was what Ranjan Kumar, deputy director, administration, in the investigation department told this reporter. ``Draw your own conclusion,'' Kumar concluded with a chuckle.

Kumar was the only one available for talks at the Income Tax building at Chowringhee in central Kolkata. He, however, admitted that his department was being secretive. ``We are doing it under instructions from the higher authorities. But our search is restricted to suspected cases of tax evasion and there is no political angle to it,'' the IT official said. Interestingly, in a statement released to the press, Todi also said that the search operations were not politically motivated.

``A team led by deputy director, investigation, Income Tax, carried out a search at my residence, business establishments, and surveyed in different factories located in 7 districts of West Bengal...this is not a politically motivated search but a routine procedure and it is being conducted regularly by income tax department in many of the medium and large scale houses,'' the statement said.

Anil Biswas, secretary of CPI(M) state committee, had something similar to offer the reporters today. ``Todi is a businessman and these searches are quite normal for them,'' Biswas said. ``But I don't know if any raid was conducted on Chandan's house or his office. But Chandan is not a party member and I am not supposed to know about him.''