IT Raids on BSP MLA Umashankar Singh’s Properties Stir Political Controversy in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow/Balia: The Income Tax (IT) Department conducted extensive raids on Wednesday at multiple properties belonging to BSP MLA Umashankar Singh, the sole representative of the Bahujan Samaj Party in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. The raids were carried out at his residences in Lucknow and Sonbhadra, as well as his home and office in Balia district’s Rasra constituency.

The Lucknow residence, located in Gomtinagar, was raided early in the morning by over 30 IT officials. The political fallout was immediate, with opposition leaders criticizing the government, while UP Minister Dinesh Pratap Singh, whose daughter recently married Umashankar Singh’s son, expressed concern over the timing and handling of the operation.

Rapid Accumulation of Wealth
According to affidavits submitted to the Election Commission during the 2022 Assembly elections, Umashankar Singh’s declared assets showed significant growth over the years. In 2012, his total assets were reported at ₹20.75 crore, which rose sharply to over ₹40.19 crore by 2017. His income tax returns from 2016-17 to 2020-21 show fluctuating declared assets ranging from ₹36 lakh to ₹2.11 crore.

Background and Political Success
Umashankar Singh, a 12th-pass politician, runs a construction company, CS Infra Construction Limited, of which his wife is the Managing Director. He has been elected three consecutive times from Rasra: defeating SP’s Sangram Singh Yadav in 2012, overcoming BJP’s Ram Iqbal Singh during the 2017 “BJP wave,” and securing victory again in 2022 against Mahendra Chauhan of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, which contested in alliance with BJP.

Family Ties and Social Standing
Singh’s son, Prince Yukesh Singh, serves as CEO of the family business and is married to Kanika Singh, daughter of Minister Dinesh Pratap Singh. BSP supremo Mayawati also attended the wedding, highlighting the family’s close ties with party leadership.

Ministerial Objection to IT Raids
Minister Dinesh Pratap Singh voiced strong objection to the raids, highlighting that Singh has been struggling with serious health issues for over two years. He stated that all his time and resources have been focused on medical care, and business activities have largely ceased. Singh has been confined to isolation at home, making it impossible for him to attend even one hour of the Assembly session. The minister warned that insensitive actions by institutions during such critical times could have serious consequences.

The incident has sparked debates about the timing of enforcement actions, the handling of high-profile political figures, and the balance between accountability and compassion.