The Income Tax Department on Wednesday conducted searches at the locations linked to former Chhattisgarh minister Amarjeet Bhagat and others, including businessmen in the state, officials said.

The reason behind the I-T department's action was not immediately known.

The state's Economic Offences Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau recently lodged an FIR in an alleged coal levy scam based on a complaint of the Enforcement Directorate which had launched a probe into the scam during the previous Congress government.

Amarjeet Bhagat, who was a minister in the previous Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government, is among the 35 accused named in the FIR.

According to officials, the searches were underway since early Wednesday morning in different districts including Surguja, Raipur, Durg and Rajnandgaon.

A team of a dozen I-T personnel reached the residence of Bhagat in Ambikapur city, the headquarters of Surguja district, early this morning, an official said.

Police personnel were seen deployed outside his house.

Police officials confirmed the presence of I-T teams assisted by the security personnel at the premises of some businessmen in Raipur, Bhilai and Rajnandgaon.

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