Cuttack, Feb. 2: A joint team of police and income tax (I-T) department today grilled gangster siblings - Sushant, 47, and Sushil Dhal Samant, 45 - who were running a major tender-fixing and extortion racket in the state.

The Dhal Samant brothers were grilled by the I-T team for nearly four hours to ascertain their source of income and other monetary transactions based on documents that were earlier seized by cops from their CDA Colony residence here.

The brothers have come under the I-T scanner after Rs 2.65 crore was seized from their residence at sector VI, a day after their arrest from Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

Officials have found that in 18 out of 22 bank accounts, the brothers have kept Rs 2.5 crore. The amount is likely to increase as a few nationalised banks have been asked to divulge information regarding the deposits.

The police said Sushant Dhal Samant's house at Visakhapatnam had been traced and a search operation was likely to be launched tonight. Police are interrogating both the gangster brothers, now on a seven-day remand, for their crime network and links outside the state.

In a related development, the cops today recorded the statement of Aditwa Mallick, 62, who had alleged that his son Dipu, 25, was murdered by the Dhal Samant brothers.

Besides, the Cuttack Nagar Yuvak Sangha floated by Sushil to fulfil his political aspiration has been dissolved today.

"Our aim was only to serve the people of Cuttack. As our mentor Sushil has been arrested, we decided to dissolve the organisation," said a member of the Sangha.

The family of Dhal Samant brothers, however, today reiterated 'political conspiracy' behind their arrests.

"The growing popularity of Sushil because of his social work proved costly for the brothers. He (Sushil) was actively involved with leaders of several political parties. However, as far as I know, he never not any political ambition," said father Saroj Dhal Samant, 67.

The family claimed that various political parties saw Sushil as a threat after he successfully organised a mega blood donation camp where nearly 3,000 units were collected last month.

The statements came a day after Sushil indicated towards a political conspiracy behind his arrest.

On the other hand, Debasish Samantray, local legislator of Barabati-Cuttack Assembly constituency, ruled out any political motive behind the arrest.

"No arrest can be made under political pressure. The police have been tracking their movements and collecting evidences since July last year," said Samantray.