Guwahati : The Income Tax Department conducted searches at 10 locations belonging to three business groups in Guwahati and New Delhi. The action was taken at the group premises in New Delhi and Guwahati, in Zo-Tinili, Ganashguri, Beltola Road.

During the raid operation, the income tax department received Benami cash of Rs 40 crore, which has been seized. Officials today said that the department raided the houses, offices and properties of three businessmen in Guwahati and New Delhi on Tuesday and Wednesday and disclosed documents with unaccounted cash. Raids were conducted in the residences and offices of Guwahati-based contractors Bhagya Kalita, Anupam Sarma and Jugal Kishore Mahant. Senior income tax officials today said the raids were due to alleged misappropriation of funds in the construction of highway projects.

It is said that the three contractors have obtained major contracts of NHAI. It has been alleged that the expenditure certificates were found to be disturbed during the period of 2012-15. Though the exact recovery was not disclosed by the authorities, sources claimed that a cash amount of Rs 40 crore was recovered from the Rebari residence of Kalita. A large quantity of gold was also recovered from kalita’s house. Income Tax department officials also recovered several documents from the residence in New Delhi and Guwahati and offices of three businessmen. In Guwahati, raids were conducted at BK Tower in Ganeshguri, a major property of Kalita. Later people made a discovery on Mahanta’s residential apartment – Usha Court and Zu Tianli Road in Ivory Enclave. Senior officials said, Benami cash of Rs 40 crore has been confiscated during the search. It said, “The group has shown an increase in expenditure in procurement and other contract operations.

According to the income tax department, Guwahati, the three traders have revealed benami earnings of about Rs 300 crore in this way, which was used to invest in real estate and increase business. The income tax department said that out of this, the group has so far accepted the undisclosed income of Rs 100 crore by the three traders.