Bhopal: Income tax authorities, on Friday, conducted raids against two business groups – one owned by a former MPEB officer, who had invested his ill-gotten wealth in various businesses, and the other by a top officer of a Goa-based mining company. Officials of investigation wing of I-T department conducted raids at the establishments and residences of Pradeep Saraiyya, a retired officer of MPEB and Sanjay Vijay Singh Shinde of Goa.
The name of Shinde, who is running three resorts and an adventure sports centre in Bhopal, had also figured in Panama Papers. The Papers had revealed that Shinde has parked funds in offshore accounts in Singapore. The authorities are trying to decipher why Shinde chose Bhopal to invest his wealth. Thus far, the authorities have recovered more than Rs 50 lakh in cash and loads of incriminating documents indicating huge cash evasion. Jewellery has also been seized. Saraiyya was running Surabhi Homes in partnership with Santosh Ramtani.
Raids were conducted at 12 establishments of Surabhi Homes. In total, 17 places linked with the two groups, including Shinde’s home at Goa, were raided. Five establishments of Shinde were raided. They included Kerwan Resorts and Adventure Resort, RPM Go-Karting and Sonik Adventures and his house in Nishant Colony.
In case of Surbahi Homes, I-T sleuths reached the homes of Ramtani and Saraiyya and their offices and site offices. Surabhi Group of Educational Institutions, Satyam Education Society Group of Institutions and Surabhi College of Education were also raided. Surabhi Homes is building complexes at Bavadia Kala and Avadhpuri. The documents at the site offices of the group were also scrutinised by the authorities.
The I-T authorities suspect that Saraiya had invested black money earned by him during his service period in these businesses. Both the groups, the I-T authorities say, might have evaded income tax of Rs 10 crore each. The houses of Ramtani and Saraiyya alone are worth crores of rupees. Besides documents, computers and laptops have also been seized.
When Taxmen came calling
Raids conducted at 12 establishments of Surabhi Homes. In total, 17 places linked with two groups, including Shinde’s home at Goa raided
Authorities recovered more than Rs 50 lakh in cash and loads of incriminating documents indicating huge cash evasion. Jewellery too was seized
Five establishments of Shinde raided, including Kerwan Resorts and Adventure Resort, RPM Go-Karting and Sonik Adventures and his house in Nishant Colony
In case of Surbahi Homes, I-T sleuths reached homes of Ramtani and Saraiyya and their offices and site offices. Surabhi Group of Educational Institutions, Satyam Education Society Group of Institutions and Surabhi College of Education were also raided.
I-T authorities suspect Saraiyya invested black money earned during service period in businesses. Both groups, I-T authorities say, might have evaded income tax of Rs 10 crore each. Houses of Ramtani and Saraiyya alone are worth crores
Documents in mattress
When I-T team reached residence of Santosh Ramtani, director of Surabhi Homes, he was stuffing documents into a mattress kept in a room.
Other agencies informed
I-T men plan to pass on information regarding Saraiyya to Lokayukta. As Shinde may have invested money abroad, ED may be brought in loop.
