Perfume politics takes centre stage in poll-bound UP

Cash seized at UP businessman Peeyush Jain’s Kannauj home. Pic/PTI

Amid the claims of the highest discovery of unaccounted cash by an enforcement agency, politics over perfume has taken the centre stage in Uttar Pradesh. It started after GST authorities unearthed over R194 crore from Kannauj perfume manufacturer Peeyush Jain.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed to the raids to accuse the Samajwadi Party of sprinkling the "perfume of corruption" all over UP during their stint in power. UP is scheduled to go to polls.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said the "wrong Jain" was targeted. He said the man has links to the BJP. The SP's Jain, Yadav claimed, is Pushpraj Jain, an MLC whose latest perfume he had launched last month, calling it the "Samajwadi ittra", reported the Indian Express.

Peeyush Jain, sources said, maintains a low-profile lifestyle and even rides scooter at times, while 60-year-old Pushpraj Jain, is a politician from Kannauj and has several businesses, said Indian Express.

Akhilesh said some reports said ‘SP businessman of ittra raided' after realising the "error" on the part of the authorities. But sources said authorities raided the right Jain after gathering proper evidence.

On Monday, a Kanpur court sent the 50-year-old Peeyush Jain to 14 days' judicial custody in connection with a tax evasion case. Images of stashes of cash seized from him has gone viral.

Rs 194cr
Amount of cash seized from Kannauj's Peeyush Jain

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