I-T raids on D K Shivakumar: A setback for Cong in Karnataka?

Bengaluru, Aug 2: In a major setback to the Congress party in Karnataka, which is hosting 42 party MLAs from Gujarat, ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls onAugust 8, the IT department on Wednesday conducted simultaneous raids on energy minister D K Shiva Kumar's residences and at the resort where the legislators have been put up.

The raids commenced at 7 am and are still continuing with the IT officials raiding at Kumar's residence in upmarket Sadashivanagar in Bengaluru, his MP brother D K Suresh's house and in their constituency Kanakapura. The team is also at Eagleton resort where the 42 MLAs have been put up from July 27 onwards against poaching from the BJP.

Kumar and his brother were in complete charge of hosting the MLAs. The former returned from New Delhi late on Tuesdaynight and was at the resort at the time of the raid.

Meanwhile a press statement from DGIT (Inv), Bengaluru without naming the minister said the Karnataka Investigation Wing of the Income tax department said the search was under Section 132 of the Income Tax Act and is an evidence gathering exercise which is being carried in compliance with all statutory requirements. The search is the continuation of an investigation which has been in progress for a considerable period of time.

Besides, the timing of the search was decided well in advance. The events involving certain MLAs of another state being brought to Karnataka were unforeseen and unpredictable events.

"The Minister being searched was staying at the resort near Bengaluru where some MLAs from another state are put up. Hence the Minister's room alone is being searched," the statement said.

The statement said the search team has no concern with the MLAs and there has been no contact between the MLAs and the search team. "It is again reiterated that the Income Tax search is only on one Karnataka minister," it added.

No searches on resort: I-T department

According to a release issued by the I-T department, the raids on Shivakumar's residence and at Eagleton resort were only related to the energy minister only.

"The search team has no concern with the MLAs and there has been no contact with MLAs and the search team. It is again reiterated that the Income Tax search is only on one Karnataka Minister," reads the release.

The department has said the raids were an "evidence gathering exercise" and is a continuation of an investigation against the minister.

While Congress leaders allege that the raids are a handiwork of the BJP-led central government to "influence" the Rajya Sabha elections, the I-T department has said that the search was decided well in advance.

"The search is the continuation of an investigation which has been in progress for a considerable period of time. The timing of the search was decided well in advance. The events involving certain MLAs of another state being brought to Karnataka were unforeseen and unpredictable events," states the I-T department.