The income-tax department on Wednesday started search and seizure operations at 29 locations of a businessman involved in mining, cement manufacturing, marbles, stones and granite.
The operation spread across several states comes at a time when mining sector in Rajasthan is under the scrutiny of the Anti Corruption Bureau.
According to the I-T officials, search operation was conducted at two premises in Delhi, many in Gujarat, one in Madhya Pradesh and remaining in Rajasthan.
In the state, premises of the group in Kishangarh, Jaipur, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh and Rajsamand have been raided. More than 150 sleuths are involved in the operation while locations of the group’s close aides too are under the examination.
The owner of the group is claimed to be the mining king of Rajasthan and operates several mines of marble and granite in Rajasthan and MP. His business activities include cement manufacturing and are extended up to foreign nations.
Meanwhile, panic gripped the marble city of Kishangarh where the business house is based, as the news of IT raids spread. Another team of IT department also went to Rajsamand, where the office of the owner is situated.
The IT operations are happening at a time when former principal secretary of mines department Ashok Singhvi is under arrest for allegedly asking bribe in mining related cases.
Sources claim that raids could be linked to the arrest of Singhvi where the ACB is trying to unearth several irregularities in allocation of mines.