BENGALURU: Income Tax Department officials on Tuesday conducted a raid at an apartment in Yeshwantpur and seized Rs 2.89 crore of unaccounted money from the flat. Out of this Rs 2.25 crore was in newly introduced Rs 2,000 notes and the rest in Rs 100 notes, IT officials stated.
The investigating wing of the IT department received credible information from a reliable source on Monday that unexplained cash of Rs 2.89 crore were stashed at an apartment in Yeshwantpur, occupied by an elderly woman, and also that the flat was guarded by two dogs.
Based on the information, on Tuesday, a team of IT officials from the investigation wing conducted inquiries in the flat. According to the IT sleuths, the woman was totally non-cooperative and even refused to tie the dogs inside her flat for the officials to conduct a search.
The IT sleuths had to inform the jurisdictional Yeshwantpur police and requested their assistance in conducting the raid. With the help of the police and few other inmates of the apartment, the sleuths gained entry into the flat where one room was found to be locked. It was also learnt that a man used to visit the flat regularly at early hours and he was also summoned. Then the room was opened where the sleuths found the cash stash. Few bundles of Rs 500 denomination were also found among the stash, IT officials stated.
When the assessee of the wealth alleged that he could provide documents to prove the source of the money, the IT sleuths subsequently conducted a survey operation at a club with whom the said person is associated with to verify his claims. However, all that turned out to be incorrect, the IT sleuths stated. Finally the assessee admitted that the money found at the flat represented his unaccounted income. The entire cash was seized and further investigations are in progress.
Rs 30 crore cash unearthed so far
The Directorate General of Income-tax (Investigation) Karnataka & Goa has been extremely active and successful in the post-demonetisation investigations. The directorate has so far seized an amount of Rs 29.86 crore in cash, 41.6 kg of bullion and 14 kg of jewellery since November 9. Out of the cash seized, an amount of Rs 20.22 crore is in new currency of Rs 2,000 notes. The directorate has so far unearthed unaccounted income in excess of Rs 1,000 crore from 36 cases.
Seizures in Goa too
Meanwhile, in a second case in Panjim, acting on a tip off, the Directorate General of Income-tax (Investigation), Karnataka & Goa seized Rs 67.98 lakh in Rs 2,000 denominations from some people hailing from Banda in Maharashtra, bordering Goa.
Based on a tip off a team from the Investigating Wing of the Income-tax Department posed as people waiting to exchange the cash in Kera village. After a day long wait and follow-up, at around 11.30 pm, a two-wheeler was intercepted by the team, in which an amount of Rs 67.98 lakh in new Rs 2,000 notes was found and recovered. One person under whose directions the scooter was carrying the money was also apprehended. Further investigations are underway in this case.
