IT conducts searches on premises linked to SP leader Abu Azmi

The income tax (IT) department Thursday carried out searches on premises linked to Samajwadi Party (SP)leader Abu Azmi.

Sources said that the searches were carried out in Lucknow and Navi Mumbai to identify certain assets which the department suspects are linked to Azmi.

Azmi wasn't immediately available for a comment. However, in the past he had called the raids to be politically motivated.


Sources further added that the searches were in continuation of the previous action carried out by the Lucknow unit of the IT department which is probing the MLA in a suspected tax evasion case.

In April, the IT department had carried out multi-city searches including Lucknow, Mumbai, Kanpur and Kolkata. The department had raided a real estate company considered to hace close links to Azmi over alleged tax evasion of over Rs 150 crores.

"The Thursday searches stem from the benami probe linked to the minister. The probe has unearthed details of assets namely land parcels whose ultimate beneficiary is suspected to be Azmi. The raids were in connection with the same. Post the search operations the documents will be studied to find out the ultimate beneficiary," said an official privy to the development.