VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, June 9: Ranchi-based businessman Puneet Poddar and his Chartered Accountant Naresh Kumar Kejriwal are under the scanner in a suspected tax evasion case as the Income Tax Department on Thursday morning started a survey at the residence and official premises of Puneet Poddar, his relatives besides Kejriwal.
Kejriwal is a named accused in the money laundering case along with IAS and former health secretary Dr. Pradeep Kumar. According to sources, the survey was conducted at as many as a dozen of locations in Ranchi and Kolkata. Poddar belongs to one of the oldest business families that controls the automobile and textile business in Jharkhand. No cash has been recovered but the IT officials are learnt to have seized several documents for verification.
The IT officials searched the office of Kejriwal which aroused much curiosity in the business circle of Jharkhand. Almost all top businessmen of Jharkhand are his clients. “The list includes some top bureaucrats and a top politician of Santhal Pargana. One will have to see the context of the IT operation against Kejriwal and Poddar,” said a businessman of Ranchi.
Former IAS officer Pradeep Kumar is also among the clients of Kejriwal who is facing a money-laundering probe. The Enforcement Directorate booked Pradeep Kumar for the NRHM scam. Kejriwal is also a named accused of the money laundering case related to the NRHM scam.
The ED said that the Kejriwal was knowingly involved in the concealment and transfer of proceeds of crime generated by Pradeep Kumar to project the tainted property as untainted.
The ED in the charge sheet stated that Kejriwal helped Pradeep Kumar to form Nand Lal HUF for the concealment and transfer of proceeds of crime through this HUF. ED sources said that Kejriwal was managing Hindustan Credit Corporation that provided accommodation entry to Pradeep Kumar to disguise his tainted properties.
