BENGALURU: With the Income-Tax raids on D K Shivakumar’s properties continuing for the second day on Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is likely to join the probe as the I-T officials are said to have found documents related to benami properties, huge cash, jewellery and also leads on alleged illegal conversion of demonetized currency.
The minister, who is being questioned since Wednesday morning, remained in the custody of I-T officials for more than 36 hours, as of Thursday evening. Raids are expected to continue on Friday as well.
Sources said the I-T department will not arrest the minister and will only look into assets and tax liabilities. After raids, the searched party is usually given time to offer an explanation. “The I-T department will not arrest any person. Arrests can only be made after the ED joins the probe, which now looks almost certain,” sources said.
Meanwhile, an activist Guruprasad from Bidadi filed a complaint with ED, alleging that the minister was involved in money laundering. He urged the directorate to file a case against the minister as he had converted several thousand crores of demonetised notes to new ones, post demonetisation.
The ED officials said no case was registered till Thursday evening and refused to speculate on the possibilities. Once the ED joins the probe, it will look into details gathered by the I-T officials, including a diary reportedly found at Shivakumar’s room in the resort with alleged notings on big money transactions.
The I-T department, however, is yet to share its findings during the raids.
Cong leaders meet to tackle raid fallout
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday held a meeting with KPCC president G Parameshwara to discuss ways to offset the effects of the I-T raid. Congress leaders in unison expressed their outrage at the BJP’s misuse of organisations like I-T and ED and also stated that they would give a fitting response. As the Congress high command has also instructed the state unit to fight it out, the Congress is now planning to launch more protests across the state.