During I-T raid, Rs 8crores found from the home of an MP businessman, Rs 1crore hidden in water bottle

The Income Tax Department raided liquor businessman Shankar Rai's home and properties in Damoh, seizing Rs 8 crore in cash and 3 kg of gold.

Incriminating documents were also seized.

"The Income Tax Department has seized Rs 8 crore in cash from the Rai family which also included a bag containing Rs 1 crore in cash stuffed in a water container. Besides, three kilograms of gold was also confiscated", Munmun Sharma, Joint Commissioner of Income Tax Department, Jabalpur who headed the I-T raid, said on Friday.

After the operation was over, the Joint Commissioner told, "The physical raid is over and that investigation will continue on the basis of the documents seized from the Rai family which would be done in Bhopal."

"The department will now investigate the seized documents and unnamed properties. So, we will have to wait for the final figure", said The Joint Commissioner.

The attack began at 6 a.m. on Thursday and lasted 39 hours.

More than ten locations belonging to Shankar Rai's family were raided by tax investigators.

Shankar Rai, a businessman and former Municipality President, is a Congress leader, whereas his brother Kamal Rai is a BJP leader and former Municipality Vice President.

"Besides the liquor business, the Rai family also has a money lending business along with transport, hotel, bar and petrol pump", said Munmum Sharma.