The Income Tax (I-T) Department has launched a large-scale search and seizure operation in Karnataka against multiple people linked to the ruling Janata Dal (Secular), including Minor Irrigation Minister C.S. Puttaraju, a key man of the party in Mandya.
The operation came hours after Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy publicly claimed that "vindictive I-T raids" against the JD(S) and the Congress were in the offing. He also threatened to launch a protest like West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over ''misuse'' of institutions by the Union government.
The Chief Minister's statement only advanced the I-T action by several hours, sources said. The raids began on Wednesday late night first at the residence of Siddiqui Sait, a jowar trader closely associated with the JD(S).
The I-T action soon panned out to several locations and targets. Search operations were on in over 20 places in Bengaluru, Mandya, Mysuru and Hassan, the sources said.
The I-T raids are being carried out with security provided by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), not taking security from the State police as is the practice.
Three close associates of PWD Minister and Chief Minister's brother H.D. Revanna were also raided in Hassan. I-T officials were conducting search operations at the PWD office in Hassan. Apart from Mr. Puttaraju's residence in Chinakurali, Mandya, multiple premises linked to him, including his relatives' in Mysuru, are being raided. It has been confirmed that raids were on at the house of an MLC and a Rajya Sabha member of the party.
Mr. Puttaraju told mediapersons that the raids were politically motivated by the BJP. "BJP leaders were shortlisting leaders who should be raided by the I-T Department. Some BJP leaders have given the information to the Chief Minister. The I-T chief in Karnataka is an agent of the BJP national president. The BJP has raided me to help independent candidate Sumalata Ambareesh," he said
Ms. Sumalata Ambareesh retorted, saying she was at a loss to understand how she could be linked to the raids. "The I-T Department would have worked for several months before conducting a raid. Probably they raid places where they have information where money is being distributed," she said.
Minor Irrigation Minister C.S. Puttaraju | File photo
Sources in the JD(S) said they had reports on Wednesday that all three key Ministers from Mandya - Mr. Puttaraju, S.R. Mahesh and D.C. Tammanna, would be raided. However, as of now only Mr. Puttaraju's premises have been raided.
Revanna's charge against I-T officer
Mr. Revanna said the raids would benefit the JD(S) increase its vote share. “These raids will not affect us in any sense. In fact, we will get 10% more votes because of these raids,” he told reporters.
“If something wrong has been committed, let officers take action. I am not afraid of such raids. This was expected. I-T officer B.R. Balakrishna is a BJP agent. He is working as a servant of the BJP,” he alleged.
Regarding the raids on contractors in Channarayapatna, he said Rayagowda, one of the contractors, was a close associate of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Ashwath was his relative. He maintained that the people of the State would know that these raids were politically motivated and the BJP at the Centre had been targeting JD(S) national president Deve Gowda and his family.
“Unable to digest the increasing popularity of K. Nikhil, son of Mr. Kumaraswamy, who is the JD(S) candidate for the Mandya Lok Sabha seat,” an independent candidate [Ms. Sumalatha Ambareesh] had approached the Election commission recently and subsequently I-T raids were conducted, he said.
Home Minister condemns raids
Home Minister M.B. Patil condemned termed the I-T raids "misuse of power by the BJP". The BJP had been using the I-T Department to target political rivals in the State for sometime now, even during Assembly elections, he said. "We will not be suppressed by such raids. We will fight back," he added.
Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said similar operations, targeting Congress leaders, were conducted ahead of the Assembly polls. "It is politically motivated. Why aren't there raids on BJP leaders? People can see the motives behind such actions and we wont be cowed down," he said.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee(KPCC) president, Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted, "It’s now clearly established that the IT Dept is now a political wing of the BJP. Congress & JD(S) leaders/supporters are and will be wilfully targeted. Abuse of power & position for political gain is the norm for #ModiShahGoondaRaj."
More raids
I-T officials have started searches at properties belonging to JD(S) leader Krishne Gowda, who owns a granite unit. Raids are also being conducted at the official residence of C.S. Manju, an executive engineer at the PWD in Hassan.
The premises of two automobile showrooms in Shivamogga city, owned by D.T. Parameshwar, said to be a relative of Mr. Deve Gowda, is also being searched.
JD(S), Congress workers protest
JD(S) workers launched protests against the I-T raids by blocking the highway in Mandya.
party workers blocked the traffic on the Srirangapatna-Bidar highway and Mysuru-K.R. Pet main road too to condemn the raids.
Workers of JD(S) and Congress staged demonstrations outside the Income Tax Department office in Bengaluru. The road leading to the regional office has been blocked throwing the traffic out of gear.
Mr. Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister Parameshwara, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar were among those who joined the protest.
The BJP has said it would complain to the Election Commission on the protest being held without permission.
