The Income Tax department on Tuesday raided multiple premises linked to a Noida-based real estate group as part of a tax evasion investigation against it and others, official sources said. They said offices and residential locations of the ACE group in Noida and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, apart from a few other places like Baghpat, are being covered.

Ajay Choudhary is the CMD of the realty group, which said it was “fully cooperating” with the concerned agencies. Chaudhary is said to be close to Samajwadi Party. With the Uttar Pradesh elections scheduled this year, the raids on the premises of many businessmen have triggered a political blame game between the BJP and SP. Recently, an SP politician who deals in perfumes was also raided.