BENGALURU: Tax raid on Karnataka minister DK Shivakumar's home, that lasted for over four days, has finally ended, resulting in the alleged discovery of undisclosed income worth £30 million. Over 60 locations related to the minister were searched in Karnataka and Delhi. Shivakumar was picked from a luxury resort in Bengaluru, where he was staying with 43 lawmakers flown in from Gujarat by the Congress.
He was interrogated well until midnight. Emerging from his home at a posh locality in Bengaluru, Shivkumar told reporters, “I'm not the kind of person that violates the law and the Constitution... the truth will come out.” The state's ruling party, the Congress accused the Centre of “misusing” Central agencies, questioning the timing of raids on Shivakumar in a tax evasion case. They said there was no need to have used the central forces in the raids.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called it a “politically-motivated raid.” In response, the allegations were denied by tax officials, who said the timing had nothing to do with the presence of the MLAs from Gujarat. Congress, meanwhile, is yet to comment on the massive amount of cash that officials said was recovered. Shivakumar is a powerful leader and is called upon by the party for organising events, and also for fund-raising. He is officially a wealthy person and is actively involved in various businesses.
