IT Raids On Azam Khan's Properties In Tax Evasion Case

The Income Tax department on Wednesday launched raids at over 30 premises in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh as part of a tax evasion probe against Khan -- a former Samajwadi Party lawmaker -- and those linked to him, official sources said.

The searches are being conducted in Rampur, Saharanpur, Lucknow, Ghaziabad and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh apart from some premises in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, they said.

In a post on X, the Samajwadi Party said, ''Azam Khan saheb is the voice of truth. He laid the foundation for a better future for children and built a university for education.'' ''Azam (Khan) saheb has always been fighting against communal forces. Today, we all stand united with his voice. The BJP government should stop dictatorship and misuse of central agencies. The BJP should remember that the ego of dictators definitely ends, the people will answer in 2024,'' it said in a post in Hindi.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, without mentioning anyone, also attacked the government over the raids.

''The weaker the government becomes, the more raids on the opposition will increase,'' Yadav said on X. The Income Tax probe is related to some trusts run by Khan and his family members, the sources said.

Khan is a former Uttar Pradesh minister and a member of the Lok Sabha. He is also the chairman of the Rampur Development Authority. Khan has been accused of a number of corruption charges, including land grabbing and money laundering.

Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also raided Khan's properties in connection with a money laundering case. Khan has denied all the allegations against him. He has said that the raids are politically motivated and that he is being targeted by the government.