The investigation wing of the Income Tax Department, which seized Rs. 2.66 crore from the K.R. Puram residence of Janata Dal (Secular) leader A. Krishnappa on Thursday, suspects the seized cash was meant to bribe voters.
Mr. Krishnappa, who quit the Congress after being denied ticket to contest from the K.R. Puram Assembly constituency, is contesting on a JD(S) ticket from Hiriyur in Chitradurga.
In a letter (on May 3) to the Director-General (Expenditure), Election Commission of India, the Director of IT Investigations here said: “Considering the fact that Mr. Krishnappa is contesting the election, the possibility of keeping Rs. 2.66 crore to bribe the voters during the coming days cannot be ruled out.”
Mr. Krishnappa, an educationist managing the affairs of South East Asian Education Trust, revealed that the cash belonged to his son-in-law D.T. Srinivas, the letter said. The “unexplained cash” had been seized and further investigation would be conducted under the provisions of Income Tax Act, it added.
While the IT Department received information on the night of May 1 that Rs. 50 lakh would be delivered the next morning at his residence, the search was authorised after the information was confirmed. Not only did it lead to the Rs. 50 lakh, but also an additional Rs. 2.16 crore. Apart from cash, also found were gold jewellery worth Rs. 1.38 crore and silver valued at Rs. 42.21 crore.
