The Trinamool Congress leadership maintained a studied silence on the Dheeraj Sahu case but at the same time reminded the tri-colour party how it had failed to show the same “alliance dharma” while dealing with the arrested TMC leaders.

When asked to comment on the Income tax raids conducted at the premises of Congress’ Odisha MP Dheeraj Sahu from whose premises more than Rs 354 crore were allegedly recovered TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said that his party did not believe in commenting on the affairs of the other parties.

Another senior leader and Minister said that “before shooting a person for some alleged crime his crime should be properly investigated into … in Bengal and in many other Opposition-ruled States we have been seeing how their leaders are being falsely framed by the ED and CBI,” adding “before letting the MP to speak his side it will not be right to condemn him” The leader however reminded how the Congress had “not cared to honour the Alliance dharma … and publicly humiliated the TMC leaders after they were wrongfully arrested by the ED and CBI.”

Earlier the Congress claimed that Sahu’s treasures had no connection with the party. Congress Lok Sabha leader Adhir Chowdhury said that the cash dug out by the income tax department had “nothing to do with the Congress Party,” adding “the Government should investigate andfind out whose money is that.”

Speaking about “TMC’s preaching” Pradesh Congress leader Asutosh saidthat his party did not have to take lessons from the TMC abou t alliance dharma. “We will fight our own case … if our MP is guilty hewill face the consequences … we want to know how many BJP leaders wereprosecuted — like it happened during the Manmohan Singh Government — for the frauds they did .