In a sweeping crackdown on alleged financial irregularities, the Income Tax Department conducted a major operation across the Gorakhpur and Basti divisions on Tuesday. Simultaneous raids were launched at the establishments, residences and business premises of five prominent business figures and one chartered accountant.

The Operation

The operation, which began at 6:00 am and continued late into the night, caused a significant stir in the local business community. Approximately 220 officers and employees were mobilized for the search, drawn from Income Tax Department units in Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Bareilly, Moradabad, and Prayagraj.

Led by Assistant Director (Investigation) Utsav Pandey, the teams targeted locations across Gorakhpur, Deoria, Maharajganj, and Kushinagar districts. The primary objective of the raids is to thoroughly investigate allegations of disproportionate assets, tax evasion, and suspicious financial transactions.

Key Locations And Targets

The investigation covered a wide range of industries, including automobiles, liquor, and manufacturing.

Automobile And Liquor Sector: Teams searched the residence of a director of a well-known automobile agency in the Sports College area and scrutinized documents at their showroom on Medical Road. The investigation extended to the agency’s distillery in the Uska Bazar area of Deoria district and its branch in Maharajganj. A separate team inspected a liquor warehouse in Sooba Bazar.

Manufacturing Sector: In Gorakhpur, the factory and residence of a major entrepreneur in the Bargadwa area were raided. Simultaneously, a team assessed a tanker manufacturing factory in GIDA and searched the director's residence.

Financial Sector: The office of a chartered accountant, associated with one of the businessmen and located in a shopping complex in the Golghar area of Gorakhpur, underwent a thorough examination of accounts and documents.

Kushinagar: A team also raided the residence and office of a company owner in the Kasia area.

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Findings And Procedure

Upon arrival, officials locked the main gates of the establishments from the inside to secure the premises. Employees and customers present were asked to leave before the investigation commenced.

According to sources, the search has so far yielded a significant amount of cash and information regarding illegal transactions.

The Income Tax Department's office in Civil Lines served as the logistical hub for the operation throughout the day, managing arrangements for the teams involved.

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