IT dept raids premises of independent Haryana MLA Balraj Kundu, relatives and associates

Coming out in support of the farmers’ agitation through activities such as arranging community kitchen (langar) at Tikri border and being vocal against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, seems to have drawn the ire of the ruling regime at the Centre against Balraj Kundu, independent MLA from Meham, with sleuths of the Income Tax (IT) department conducting multiple raids at his residence and office at Rohtak and Gurugram on Thursday morning. The IT department, simultaneously, also raided premises of his relatives and close associates across the state.

It is learnt that the raids were conducted at Kundu’s residences in Sector 14, Rohtak and at Gurugram, besides his in-laws house in Hansi (Hisar), his two brothers’ houses in Rohtak and over 30 other premises of his close aides and relatives.

They reportedly also seized certain documents from Kundu's office and residence.

Though Kundu was unavailable for comments, his relatives and associates accused the government of trying to intimidate the MLA and termed the raids as a pressure tactic to suppress his voice against the BJP government, especially on the issue of the farm laws.

Kundu, who successfully contested the 2019 assembly elections as an independent candidate from Meham after the BJP denied him a ticket, had extended support to the BJP after it fell short of a majority in Haryana.

He, however, withdrew his support to the government after Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar ignored his complaint against former minister of state for cooperatives Manish Grover, whom he accused of indulging in corrupt activities.

Since then, Kundu has been vocal against the Khattar-led BJP-JJP government in Haryana.

Besides helping organise a community kitchen at Tikri border for agitating farmers, Kundu also took part in ‘Mahapanchayats’ organised by the state unit of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) that were addressed by different farmers’ leaders including Rakesh Tikait in Haryana.