Income tax raids former IFA secretary Utpal Ganguly's Kolkata residence

The Income Tax Department conducted a raid on Monday at the residence of former Indian Football Association (IFA) secretary, Utpal Ganguly, in Kolkata. The operation is part of an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities in the foreign liquor trade. Income tax officials surrounded Ganguly's Dhakuria residence, examining documents and questioning him in connection with the India-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) trade.

Additionally, searches are being conducted at offices linked to Ganguly in Ballygunge and Kashipur areas of Kolkata. Ganguly, who served three terms as IFA Secretary, resigned from the post in 2019. As of now, Ganguly has not provided any comments on the issue.

The income tax raids, triggered by Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu in Odisha and Jharkhand, have gained national attention. The search operation has led to the recovery of over Rs 354 crore, with more than Rs 200 crore found at the residence of the Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand.

The raid in Kolkata is part of these ongoing operations, although it remains unclear whether it is directly related to the probes in Odisha and Jharkhand. The Income Tax Department, with the assistance of central paramilitary forces, is conducting the search operation, anticipating the recovery of significant items.