IT department raids residence of Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath's OSD Praveen Kakkar

The Income Tax (IT) department team on Sunday carried out raids at the residence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's private secretary, Praveen Kakkar. According to reports, a team of over 15 officers began searching Kakkar's house at around 3 am. 

According to some reports, the raids are being conducted on at least 50 locations including Indore, Bhopal and Delhi (Green Park) and those being searched also include former advisor Rajendra Miglani and executives linked to his brother-in-law's firm Moser.

Indore: Income-Tax officials from Delhi are conducting a raid at the Vijaynagar residence of OSD to Madhya Pradesh CM, Praveen Kakkar, since 3 am today. #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/vm7HC15HzU

— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2019

Kakkar, the officer on special duty (OSD) for Kamal Nath, is reportedly under the scanner for alleged illegal transactions.

Kakkad, a former Madhya Pradesh police officer, was appointed OSD to Nath after the Congress-led government came to power in the state last year. He had earlier served as OSD to former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria during the UPA regime.

I-T Sources: I-T dept is conducting searches at 50 locations. Searches underway at locations of MP Chief Minister's OSD, Ratul Puri, Amira Group&Moser Bayer. Searches also underway in Bhopal* ,Indore,Goa& 35 locations in Delhi. More than 300 I-T officials conducting the searches. https://t.co/x5wkkEE01p

— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2019

Earlier on Friday, Kamal Nath's nephew Ratul Puri was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in the Agusta Westland case.

Nath, who questioned the timing of the ED summoning, insisted that he had nothing to do with his nephew's business.  

"He (Puri) is independent and has nothing to do with politics, and I have nothing to do with his business. Whatever (allegation) there is, a full investigation should take place. I welcome it...but why is it emerging during elections?" Nath told reporters.

Puri on Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the AgustaWestland case in Delhi.  

The central agency had Wednesday informed a Delhi court that Puri, Chairman of Hindustan Powerprojects Pvt Ltd, was summoned in the high-profile case for interrogation.  

Pictures provided by Income-Tax Sources of cash recovered during raid at residential premises of Prateek Joshi in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. I-T searches are underway at 50 locations including Indore, Bhopal, Goa and Delhi. pic.twitter.com/TAMe4J1Nii

— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2019

Puri is the son of Nita and Deepak Puri, the CMD of optical storage media firm Moser Baer. Nita is Nath's sister.

The raids are also being conducted against Kolkata-based businessman Paras Mal Lodha, they said. A team of about 200 I-T department and police officers swooped on these premises at around 3 am and some undisclosed cash has been recovered till now, they said.

With PTI Inputs