By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: IT Raids and ED probe seems, spoilsports the political ambition of DN Group Chairman Jagadish Prasad Naik, who has been trying hard to get BJD ticket for Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat for the ensuing 2024 Parliamentary polls. IT raids continuing for 5th consecutive day on Sunday.
Income Tax Department officials grilled Naik, face to face with the Group’s employee Chandrasekhar Panda at the Group’s head office. IT officials had seized cash of Rs 30 crore from employee Panda’s house.Both were questioned in presence of Additional Director of Income Tax Department, Gurpreet Singh.
As Naik has developed a very good relationship with BJD’s and ranks and files ranging from Sankha Bhawan to Chief Minister Office to Naveen Niwas, the real estate developer was in fact, eyeing on Lok Sabha seat but the on-going IT raids and possible ED probe, has killjoy everything, sources said.
Naik was desperately trying for his candidature from Kendrapara Lok Sabha since BJD is now not a mood to field incumbent Anubhav Mohanty again considering his falling popularity and marital discord with his estranged wife Varsha Priyadarshini.
Naik was seen more enthusiastic when he heard about the reluctance of Minister Pratap Deb to become BJD’s Lok Sabha candidate against BJP’s mighty Baijayant Jay Panda, who now Party’s National Vice-President and In Charge for Assam and Delhi. Pratap Deb’s reluctance was a chance for Nailk but IT raids and ED probe, spoiled all possibility, sources argued.
The senior BJP leader Jay Panda twice represented Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat from 2009-2019 , while he lost in 2019 polls to BJD’s actor turn MP Mohanty, and BJP is most likely to field the former MP Panda, in this prestigious Parliamentary seat in 2024.
Naik was so important for BJD; it was evident from the fact, that, he had accompanied a business delegation led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to Japan in April this year.
Naik’s wealth and business took a surge in recent years because of his close proximity with CMO and as well as BJD, sources said.
Anil Biswal, a BJP leader had alleged that the money unearthed during raids on DN Group belongs to BJD leaders and MLAs. “Black money of a non-Odia IAS officer is legitimised through this real estate business. This company was also a medium of money laundering for BJD leaders and MLAs. There is a close nexus between the company owner Jagadish Naik and the CMO,” alleged Biswal.
IT department officials reportedly laid hands on money receipts of financial transactions of DN Group to the tune of Rs 105 crore. While money receipts of Rs 80 crore for flats were found, money receipts of Rs 25 crore for other transactions were recovered.
Earlier IT department officials conducted simultaneous raids at 23 places associated with the Bhubaneswar-based real estate firm on the allegations of tax evasion. Subsequently, Rs 30 crore in cash was recovered from the house of a staffer of the firm while later IT sleuths also seized above Rs 3 Crore in last 2 days raids,
