A coordinated team from the Income Tax Department’s Delhi directorate arrived in Dehradun early Wednesday morning, carrying out simultaneous raids at several high-value commercial and residential locations. The operation targeted some of the city’s most prominent real-estate developers and liquor businessmen.
Among those under investigation are well-known builders Kamal Arora, Inder Khatri, and Rakesh Batta; Ramesh Batta, who also operates the elite Kasiga School; and liquor trader Pradeep Walia. Officials confirmed that multiple properties, including offices, homes, and business outlets, were being searched across MKP Road, Dwarka Store, and Rajpur Road—key commercial corridors of the Uttarakhand capital.
Focus on Unaccounted Transactions
According to preliminary information, the raids stem from evidence of crores of rupees in undisclosed transactions detected during recent financial surveillance. Investigators suspect extensive use of benami (proxy) accounts and layered property deals designed to evade taxation.
Sources indicate that seized documents and digital devices are being scrutinized for links to real-estate investments and high-value liquor supply chains, two sectors often flagged by authorities for cash-heavy dealings.
Expanding Financial Crackdown in Uttarakhand
The Dehradun operation marks one of the largest coordinated tax actions in the state in recent months, reflecting the Centre’s sharpened focus on curbing black-money flows in tier-two cities. Similar raids earlier this year in Haridwar and Haldwani unearthed undisclosed assets worth several crores.
Officials said follow-up actions, including forensic audits and property valuation reviews, will determine the scale of tax evasion and potential legal proceedings under the Income Tax Act.
Public and Political Ripples
As news of the raids spread, several commercial areas in Dehradun witnessed heightened police presence. Locals gathered near the affected properties, while political observers noted that the timing—just months before the state’s municipal elections—could lend the move both economic and political significance.
Authorities have yet to release an official statement on the quantum of assets seized or the duration of the investigation.
