Ajit Pawar’s sisters were targeted in the tax raids last month. (File)

Mumbai:

Assets worth over Rs 1,000 crore have been seized by the Income Tax Department in the raids linked to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, officials said. 

Five properties, including Nirmal Tower at Nariman Point in Mumbai, have been seized, sources said. 

Last month, tax searches were conducted at the houses and firms owned by Mr Pawar’s sisters. 

Responding to the searches and raids, Mr Pawar had last month insisted that “all the entities” linked to him have regularly paid taxes. 

“We pay taxes every year. Since I am the Finance Minister, I am aware of the fiscal discipline. All entities linked to me have paid taxes,” the 62-year-old NCP leader had said. 

Alleging misuse of probe agencies, he had commented: “I am upset because (premises of) my sisters, who got married 35 to 40 years ago, have been raided. If they were raided as Ajit Pawar’s relatives, then people must think about it…the way the agencies are being (mis)used,” he said.