New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) The Income Tax Department has carried out a search action on over 30 premises, in three states, of a large pan masala manufacturing and real estate group based in Kanpur and Delhi, an official statement said on Friday.

A total of 31 premises, spread across Kanpur, Noida, Ghaziabad, Delhi, and Kolkata, were searched on Thursday, a Finance Ministry statement said, adding that the group has been earning huge amounts through unaccounted sale of pan masala and unaccounted real estate business, and this unaccounted income was laundered back into the concerns through a vast link of shell companies.

Digital and paper evidence found during search revealed a nation-wide network of such paper companies created by the group, it said.

The Directors of these companies are persons of no financial means, the investigations revealed.