I-T raids: Rs 11 cr found at UP BSP MLA premises

Lucknow: Income tax raids at the Lucknow residence of the Bahujan Samaj Party’s lone MLA Umashankar Singh and premises linked to his associates concluded on Thursday, with officials recovering Rs 11 crore in cash along with jewellery and luxury watches.

The coordinated operation began on Wednesday, when Income Tax Department teams carried out raids at more than 30 locations across Lucknow, Ballia, Sonbhadra, Kaushambi, Mirzapur and Prayagraj. Over 50 officers were involved in the action that started around 11 am and continued late into the night. Officials said cash was recovered from multiple premises, with the largest haul from the Vipul Khand house in Gomtinagar.

Three teams searched Umashankar Singh’s residence in Vipul Khand, the corporate office of his firm Chhatra Shakti Construction Company in Gomtinagar and premises linked to a close associate on Wazir Hasan Road. In Sonbhadra, searches were conducted at locations linked to mining firms, including Sai Ram Enterprises, and at the premises of mining trader C B Gupta and other businessmen associated with the sector. Officials said documents linked to alleged tax evasion and benami assets were recovered during the searches.

Umashankar Singh is a three-time MLA from Rasra in Ballia district. He is undergoing treatment for blood cancer and had returned from the United States last month after a blood exchange procedure. He is currently in isolation at his Lucknow residence and receiving treatment.