BENGALURU: The probe by the Income Tax Department into alleged tax evasion by Water Resources and Medical Education Minister D K Shivakumar is likely to cause embarrassment to the coalition government. For now, the JD (S) is backing the Congress minister, but the regional party is said to be closely monitoring the developments in the case.
The central agency has accused Shivakumar of evading tax and other violations under the IT Act. Based on its complaint, the Special Court for Economic Offences has directed the minister to appear before it on August 2.Unlike in the past, Shivakumar is now part of a coalition government, and beyond a point, JD (S) may find it difficult to defend the minister. A lot, however, depends on the probe by the IT Department and evidence it gathers to substantiate its charges.
The JD (S), however, is backing the minister by terming it as an old case and BJP’s attempts to target ministers in the H D Kumaraswamy Cabinet. “It is not at all an issue. BJP wants to fix ministers in the Kumaraswamy government and play a game. It is a fabricated case and we are with Shivakumar,” JD (S) spokesperson Ramesh Babu told The New Indian Express.
“The case is in the court, let the law take its course. The entire nation is aware what BJP did with Shivakumar during the Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat. Shivakumar was raided to help BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha in Gujarat. People are also aware of all these developments,” he added.
Ramesh Babu also dismissed reports that Kumaraswamy held a meeting with Deve Gowda to discuss implications of the Shivakumar case on the government. They just discussed about the CM’s recent visit to Delhi and his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union ministers, he added.