Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar seemed to be in a combative mood on Saturday when he walked out of his Sadashivanagar residence after having been grilled for three days by Income Tax Department sleuths.
An hour later, the Minister joined Gujarat Congress MLAs after they met Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R. Vala at the Raj Bhavan. “The MLAs have come to the city reposing faith in me. I won’t let them down,” he said.
- 39 search warrants against individuals/firms
- Search operations conducted at over 64 places
- Multicity operation; searches in Bengaluru, Kanakapura, Bidadi, Mysuru, Hassan, Chennai, New Delhi
- Multiple firms in real estate, transport, jewellery, exports and other firms linked to the Minister also raided
- Search started at 6.30 a.m. on August 2
- Search ended at 10.15 a.m. on August 5
The Minister, who came out of his house dressed in a shirt and dhoti, addressed mediapersons waiting at the gates. He thanked senior party leaders, including the central leadership and and the State leaders, for supporting him during the crisis.
“I will answer all questions with documents once I get the copies of the panchanama of search and seizure made on my premises,” he said.
He shook hands with the CRPF personnel who were deployed by the I-T Department to provide security during the raids.
To a question on alleged political conspiracy by the BJP, Mr. Shivakumar said though he had come from a village, he was not a novice in politics. He said he had come to Bengaluru only to do politics.
The Minister’s first stop was a house at Vijayanagar where a religious programme was under way. He then left to meet the Gujarat MLAs. As the MLAs were briefing presspersons outside the Raj Bhavan after meeting the Governor, Mr. Shivakumar joined them to loud claps and cheers.
Mr. Shivakumar later took the legislators on a guided tour of the Vidhana Soudha and even posed for photos with them. He, however, refused to speak to presspersons.
Later in the day, he released a statement apologising for the remarks made by his mother, Gowramma, who had alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was probably behind the raids. In the statement, Mr. Shivakumar said his mother was an illiterate and did not know under who the Income Tax Department worked, State or Centre.
“My mother’s statements, made when she was under stress, were misused by some media channels,” he said, and added that Mr. Siddaramaiah had always been supportive of him, including during this crisis.
He said political leaders cutting across party lines, including those from the BJP and the JD(S), had supported him during the crisis, and thanked them.
Adichunchanagiri mutt seer calls DKS
Nirmalananda, seer of the Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Mutt, the prominent mutt of Vokkaligas, reportedly called D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday after the conclusion of the raids by the Income Tax Department.
“The seer is presently overseas and called the Minister to enquire about his health, after reports emerged of his ill-health,” a source close to the Minister said.
