Income Tax officials conducted search and seizure operations on the residence of Congress leader M.S. Atmananda in Mandya on Wednesday, triggering allegations of a political witch-hunt yet again.
The search has come close on the heels of similar searches on the residence of Minister C.S. Puttaraju and contractors close to the JD(S) in Hassan and Mandya, setting off protests by the Congress-JD(S) coalition against the I-T Department.
A team of I-T sleuths knocked on the doors of Mr. Atmananda, a former Minister, early on Wednesday and the search operations were yet to conclude. Sources said the operations were part of monitoring of election expenses. No information was available about possible seizures.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr. Atmananda had been assigned by the Congress to work for the victory of Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil K., even as many local leaders of the party are siding with the BJP-supported Independent candidate Sumalatha by openly campaigning for her.
Reacting to the search, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the I-T Department was continuing to be “partisan”. “I am not against the I-T Department conducting raids. But, do they not see BJP leaders at all? Is the BJP going around with a begging bowl to conduct elections?” he said to media persons in Hassan. He also took objection to the I-T raids being mostly concentrated in Mandya and Hassan districts, and said the BJP cannot “silence him with such raids”.