BENGALURU: Though the I-T raids on Energy minister D K Shivakumar is being seen as a part of BJP’s strategy to achieve a ‘Congress-mukth Bharat’, the failure of the state police intelligence to smell it before the swoop has baffled those in the Siddaramaiah ministry.
While Siddaramaiah, who also holds the Home Ministry, is said to have taken the intelligence top brass to task for having failed to pick up the signals when a huge contingent of I-T officials were doing the recce around Shivakumar’s properties at over 60 spots for the past 10 days, the failure has drawn the ire of Shivakumar’s staunch supporters.
The minister’s acolytes feel a full-time Home minister could have ensured more intense focus on the IT department’s moves as the raids were anticipated but only the timing was the element of surprise. The not-so-cordial equations between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah has only provided more grist to such a view.
Shivakumar’s mother Gowramma did not hold back when she asserted, “Modi and Siddaramaiah are behind the raids on my son’s home. My son has been betrayed by his colleagues.” She condemned the raids as a conspiracy to destroy her son’s future.
While Siddaramaiah refused to comment on her statement, Congress MP and Shivakumar’s brother D K Suresh was on damage control mode. “My mother was referring to Modi and took Siddaramaiah’s name due to confusion. Her words should not be taken seriously,” Suresh said.
A KPCC functionary, speaking to Express, said, “The state intelligence and Home Ministry bosses should hang their heads in shame because they remained blind when the IT teams were doing their final round of ground work for the raids at many locations in the heart of Bengaluru for the past couple of weeks. The Chief Minister’s inability to devote full attention to the Home Ministry too has, in a way, contributed to the misfortune that has hit our leader Shivakumar.”
“Siddaramaiah had kept Shivakumar, a six-time MLA, out of the ministry on the pretext that he is facing corruption charges. Shivakumar had to force his entry into the ministry seven months later on the instructions of the Congress high command. Siddaramaiah also played a key role in foiling Shivakumar’s ambition to become KPCC president,” the KPCC functionary said.
Cong protests against attack on Rahul
Congress activists led by state president G Parameshwara staged a protest at Maurya Circle against the attack on AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi by BJP workers during his visit to flood-hit areas in Gujarat. Condemning the attack on Rahul’s car and the I-T raids on D K Shivakumar’s premises, Parameshwara said the attack would not deter Congress leadership. He demanded PM Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah to tender an apology for the attack on Rahul and threatened to hit back at BJP leaders in a similar fashion if BJP refuses to oblige.
Raids continue at DKS’ in-laws’ house
Mysuru: Raids continued at the house of Shivakumar’s in-laws for the third day on Friday. The minister’s father-in-law Thimmaiah and his family who were supposed to celebrate Varamahalakshmi were confined to their residence. The tax officials continued the interrogation of Shivakumar’s brother-in-law and family members. They are looking into the documents found at the house and also recovered from the house of Edwin, a close friend of Thimmaiah.
Doctor makes visit
Some questions were raised regarding Shivakumar’s health after a team of physicians led by Dr Ramana Rao, popular family doctor of politicians and actors, visited the house around 10 am on Friday. Dr Rao, who is said to have checked the minister’s health, left the premises 45 minutes later. There was some drama after D K Suresh, brother of the minister was not allowed to enter the house. However, after some consultation with IT officials, he was allowed inside the premises. Speaking to the media, Suresh said that the doctor checked Shivakumar’s health since he had high blood pressure as “IT officials had questioned him till 1 am on Thursday night.”
I-T Dept may pass on baton to ED
I-Tax officials collected documents related to D K Shivakumar’s businesses in different parts of the state. The documents are likely to be shifted to the I-T department headquarters in New Delhi. Other central agencies too are likely to join the investigation with sources claiming that Enforcement Directorate officials are already stationed in the city to pursue the case. The team will swing into action as soon as IT officials complete the raid and file a complaint in case of irregularities, sources said. Though there were rumours that the raid will end on Friday noon, it continued in Bengaluru and other parts till evening. Shivakumar’s bungalow at Sadashivanagar continued to be the centre of action for the third day in a row.