New Delhi:
The Income Tax Department early on Wednesday conducted searches at multiple locations in Karnataka and Delhi related to Karnataka Energy minister D K Shivakumar, who is hosting 44 Congress MLAs from Gujarat at Eagleton Golf Resort in Bengaluru.
A total of 39 premises of the minister and his family are being raided by a team of about 120 Income Tax Department officials with the aid of central paramilitary forces, they said.
The department is also investigating charges of the alleged role of money power and huge transfer of illegal funds for these polls.
Congress reacting on the raids said the “frustrated†Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) is using ugly tricks to win Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat and when their plans to bribe MLAs failed they are resorting to I-T raids.
“BJP has used every dirty and ugly trick to run a conspiracy to win Rajya Sabha seat in Gujarat. An attempt was made to bribe legislators in Gujarat; when everything failed, a frustrated BJP Govt now resorting to IT raids,†Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.
Senior Congress leader and party’s lone Rajya Sabha nominee from Gujarat, Ahmed Patel also echoed similar voices saying BJP is on “unprecedented witch-hunt†just to win 1 seat.
"BJP is on an unprecedented witch-hunt just to win 1 Rajya Sabha seat. After using state machinery and every other agency, these I-T raids show their utter desperation and frustration,†Patel said.
The Congress had sent 44 of its Gujarat legislators to Eagleton Golf Resort in Bengaluru fearing horse-trading by BJP ahead of key Rajya Sabha polls on August 8. Of the 57 Congress MLAs in Gujarat, six resigned from the party in the last few days. Three of them joined the BJP on Friday.
Here are the Live Updates:
#Â We are not enjoying or partying here, if he had to then would have taken 15 crores as offered by the BJP: Shaktisinh Gohil.Congress Guj MLA
#Â Gunmen were roaming around inside the hotel as if our MLAs are criminals. This is politics at its worst: Shaktisinh Gohil, Congress
#Â They want no one on the opposition benches and want everyone with BJP. Won't let this happen: Kapil Sibal, Congress on IT Raids
They want no one on the opposition benches and want everyone with BJP. Won't let this happen: Kapil Sibal, Congress on IT Raids pic.twitter.com/MVLvpkE82W
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 2, 2017
#Â Bengaluru: NSUI members gather outside Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar's residence as IT raid continues
Bengaluru: NSUI members gather outside Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar's residence as IT raid continues pic.twitter.com/d15hWz1LK1
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 2, 2017
#Â IT Dept came in resort & interrogated him (Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar), nobody else. Didn't find anything here: Youth Congress Secy Karnataka.
#Â They want to murder democracy; our MLAs being threatened, money was offered, raids being conducted: Ashok Gehlot, Congress in-charge for Gujarat
#Rs 5 crore have been recovered during the I-T raid at the Delhi premises of Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar
Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar at his residence in Bengaluru as IT raid continues pic.twitter.com/qpVAAjzf2V
— ANI (@ANI_news) 2 August 2017
#Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar refuses to answer questions on Income Tax raids at his locations in Bengaluru.
Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar refuses to answer questions on Income Tax raids at his locations in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/s6Gfp3axtw
— ANI (@ANI_news) 2 August 2017
# According to sources, IT department has said the raids are not being conducted on Congress MLAs but on Karnataka energy minister DK Shivakumar.
#Â Attempt was made to bribe legislators in Gujarat; when everything failed, a frustrated BJP Govt now resorting to IT raids on Cong: Surjewala
#Â BJP has used every dirty and ugly trick to run a conspiracy to win Rajya Sabha seat in Gujarat: RS Surjewala on IT raids at Eagleton resort
#Â After using state machinery & every other agency, these I-T raids show their utter desperation & frustration:Â Ahmed Patel
# "BJP is on an unprecedented witch-hunt just to win 1 Rajya Sabha seat: Congress leader Ahmed Patel
# IT raids underway at Karnataka energy Min DK Shivakumar's residence in Kanakapura, Sadashivanagar and Cong MLAs rooms in Eagleton Golf Resort.
#Visuals from the resort: Income Tax department raids Eagleton Golf Resort in Bengaluru where Congress Gujarat MLAs are staying. pic.twitter.com/cLMzcQfkAj
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 2, 2017
