Karnataka Minister issued 4th summons by court in IT case

A senior Income Tax (IT) official confirmed that the fourth summons has been issued against Shivakumar by the special court dealing with economic offences here yesterday.

"Court has issued the summons. One more complaint has been filed. Last time there were three. The case is same. The only thing is different years are involved. The

case pertains to tax evasion," said the official speaking on condition of anonymity.

Sources in the Income Tax department said along with Shivakumar, case has been registered against his associates Sachin Narayan, Sunil Kumar Sharma, Anjaneya, Hanumanthaiah and Rajendra.

Raids were carried out recently against close friends and relatives of Shivakumar, which drew angry reaction from the minister and his MP brother D K Suresh.

They had alleged that the income tax department was trying to fix Suresh in the case.

When raids were carried out at the residences of Sunil Kumar and Anjaneya, some cash and documents were allegedly seized. In this connection, the I-T department had

issued notices to them seeking explanation.

However, their explanation was unsatisfactory, I-T sources said.

Shivakumar told PTI that he has not yet received the summons.

"I have only read in the newspapers. It may come." 

Asked about the reasons behind the raids and summons, Shivakumar said, "What can be said? Already three cases were registered. After the (assembly) election, this one has also been done..."

Shivakumar said the I-T department officials were "not letting him breathe."   

To a question whether it was politics of vendetta, he said it was left to the media to present it the way they like.

"You write whichever way you like. Assess it. They are not letting me to breathe. I don't know why only me," he said.

Later, speaking to the media, he warned those trying to "fix" him, saying he too has enough "evidence and documents" against his rivals.

"Don't be under the impression that I don't have any documents. I too have similar diaries with me. I will wait till the end and finally I will release them at an appropriate time," he said but did not elaborate.

Reacting to BJP's demand for his resignation in the wake of raids, Shivakumar questioned their "moral right" when many of their leaders were allegedly involved in multiple cases.

Shivakumar was instrumental in ensuring the safe stay of Gujarat Congress MLAs in a Karnataka resort during the Rajya Sabha elections last year amid allegations that the BJP was trying to poach them.

He was also the key man who oversaw the operation to keep the Congress MLAs together against alleged poaching attempts by the BJP after the recent assembly polls.

BJP had emerged as the single largest party and was trying to shore up numbers but lost the game with BS Yeddyurappa quitting without taking the floor test. I Last month, the CBI had raided residences and an office of some persons linked to Shivakumar at five places in Bengaluru, Kanakapura and Ramanagara on charges of illegally exchanging demonetised currency notes.

The raids took a political hue with Shivakumar and his MP brother Suresh calling it a "vindictive act" by the BJP-led government at the centre to frame them.