Odisha Ex-Minister Naba Das’ Brother Braja Das Under I-T Lens Again, Raids On At 44 Places

Bhubaneswar: The Income Tax (I-T) department officials on Friday raided properties linked to Braja Kishore Das, a super-class contractor and brother of former Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, at multiple locations across Odisha.

According to sources, simultaneous searches are underway at 44 places in Jharsuguda, Balangir, Bargarh, Bhubaneswar and Braja’s residence at Dhankauda in Sambalpur, since 5 am. It is being coordinated by 20 joint teams from Bhubaneswar and Chhattisgarh.

Local police were reportedly not informed about the raids, the sources added.

He owns a construction firm, a transport company, mines, and stone quarries and is engaged in house construction works.

Though the exact reason behind the raids is unclear, Braja had come under I-T scanner earlier too. Senior officials from New Delhi assisted by I-T officials from Rourkela, Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur had conducted raids on his house and office in 2017 after the demonetisation process.

Worth mentioning, Naba Das’ son Bishal Das was recently detained by police in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district along with sarpanchs, samiti members and his supporters ahead of the no-confidence vote against the Kirmira block chairman.