Income tax raid on Trinamool leader's house ahead of Abhishek-Mamata's visit to Maldah

On Wednesday, Trinamool Congress party's 'Nabjoar Programme' was scheduled to take place in the Malda district of West Bengal.

However, just before the party's all-India general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was to enter the district, the Income Tax (IT) department conducted a raid at the residence of former Trinamool district general secretary Hemant Sharma, who is reportedly close to Trinamool MP Mausam Noor. Sharma's two houses in Bulbulchandi and Sarvamangalapalli were searched by the IT officials.

According to sources, three IT officers, including a female officer, entered Hemant Sharma's locked house in Bulbul Chandi, and spoke with the caretaker of the house. After the search, the officials left with a new lock. It is being reported that the IT officials are investigating Sharma's assets and sources of unaccounted income.

The timing of the raid has raised questions as it came just before the Trinamool's political program in the same district, which was to be attended by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. Abhishek's 'Nabjoa Yatra' was scheduled to begin from the same Bulbul Chandi area, just a few steps away from Hemant Sharma's house.

The presence of central forces was observed outside the raided premises during the IT search operation. However, after the officials left, the house was locked, and the leader's neighbors, who are also reportedly associated with Trinamool, were spoken to by the officials.

The search operation has put the focus on Mausam Noor, who is known to have business closeness with Hemant Sharma. According to sources, the two of them jointly run a business, and villagers in the area have also mentioned Hemant's considerable property and business holdings.

While the IT department has not yet released an official statement regarding the search operation, the incident has stirred political reactions, with some criticizing the timing of the raid and others calling for a transparent investigation into the matter.