IT Department Raids Rakibul Hussain’s House

Guwahati: Income Tax (IT) officials found Rs 6.21 lakh at the Guwahati residence of State Agriculture minister and senior Congress leader Rakibul Hussain after conducting a raid on Wednesday. The search had initially given the impression that it was related to the election because of the presence of the Election Commission’s (EC) expenditure observer in the team.

The officials said the cash was not seized as the search team was "satisfied" with the minister's "explanation". An additional amount of Rs 5 lakh was found on the premises of Syed Ali Hazarika, the minister's neighbor. But that amount was also not seized as the owner could convince the raid team.

A team of EC officials led by Kamrup expenditure observer Raghavendra Singh first searched Hussain's vehicle and his two escort vehicles while he was moving out of his Panjabari residence this evening. Later, the team, accompanied by Income Tax department sleuths who searched his residence at FA Ahmed Nagar (Purana Basti). The raid team came in over twenty vehicles, including official vehicles bearing the stickers of EC.

Hussain lodged a complaint against the search. He alleged that his convoy was stopped just as he was leaving his residence. He sniffed a political conspiracy behind the raid and termed it an attempt by the opposition to malign the Congress’ image before the polls. Assam’s Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi also termed the raid a politically motivated move to defame the minority leader ahead of next month’s Assembly election.

The Chief Electoral Officer of Assam, Vijayendra said: "We had no prior information about the raid carried out by the Income Tax department. They don't have to report to us (the state government) and neither does the expenditure observer, who reports directly to the commission. It is now up to them how they proceed.” He also said that the source of the money found at Hussain’s house was explained to the search team.

Sources said the raid was conducted on the basis of information the Income Tax department had received few days back about “crores of rupees lying in Hussain's place” and the police commissioner was moved to "allot a company of security personnel" for the raid at an unspecified destination.