Surat, 3 October 2013

Diamond traders in Mumbai(including the main diamond hub Pancharatna market) and Surat(including the diamond hub Mahidharpura) are facing Income Tax raids today, less than 72 hours after felicitating Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Shri Narendra Modi publicly.

In fact in his speech after inaugurating Diamond hall of Bharat Diamond Bourse on 30th September evening in Mumbai, Shri Modi had clearly predicted from mic that diamond traders would soon face income tax raids.

The Mumbai Diamond Merchants’ Association (MDMA) donated 80 kg of silver and Rs 40 lakh to Modi for a statue of Sardar Vallabbhai Patel in same event.

Earlier in September Bombay Bullion Association Ltd (BBA) had openly announced support to Modi for the post of Prime Minister in a statement. As many as 50 lakh workers are associated with BBA.

Last month BBA president Mohit Kamboj along with some others joined BJP in the presence of senior party leader Gopinath Munde. BJP president Rajnath Singh was invited to inaugurate the BBA corporate office at Zaveri Bazaar. Three days back Modi was hosted by BBA at a function at Bandra-Kurla Complex to inaugurate hall.

Highlights

-17 diamond trading firms were raided in Mumbai and Surat covering 15 places of Surat and 35 in Mumbai.

-Surat’s Mahidharpura, Varacchha based diamond markets observed shut down.

-The raids started at 4.00 am.

-125 IT men were part of the raids in Surat.

-Mahidharpura’s Parth apartment, Div diamond apartment, Ghanshyam apartment, Paras apartment, Gokul apartment, New DTC building, Maniratnam diamond, Karishma diamond, Nikhil trade diamond, Merin, Pashwanath, Ganesh, Rajan, Ambika diamond, Sancheti group, angadia firm, Bhojabhai street, Jada khadi, Pipla sheri, Dalgiya mahollo covered in raids.

-Bharat Diamond Bourse – the venue where Narendra Modi was felicitated also raided. South Mumbai’s Prasad chamber and Panchratna tower also raided. 1500 police men and 1,000 IT men were present at these three location.