"It's BJP corruption...": DK Shivakumar on Income Tax department raids in Karnataka

BENGALURU: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday refuted the allegations made by the BJP that the money recovered in the raids conducted by the Income Tax department belongs to the Congress government.

DK Shivakumar said that the Income Tax department has unearthed the corruption which entirely belongs to the BJP.

Speaking to ANI, DK Shivakumar said, "Entire corruption is by BJP only. BJP is the foundation of corruption, that's why the people of Karnataka threw them away. Money that has been found, is linked to BJP leaders and it is nowhere connected to the Congress government."

Earlier the Income Tax Department said that it conducted search and seizure action related to some government contractors, real estate developers and their associates last week and about 55 premises were covered in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and New Delhi.

According to a CBDT press release, incriminating evidence in the form of loose sheets, hard copies of documents and digital data have been found and seized. It said the search has resulted in a seizure of unaccounted cash of approximately Rs 94 crore and gold and diamond jewellery of over Rs 8 crore, aggregating to more than Rs 102 crore.

A cache of about 30 luxury wristwatches of foreign make was unearthed from the premises of a private salaried employee, not engaged in the business of wristwatches, the release said.

The searches were held on October 12.

Earlier BJP leader CT Ravi on Sunday alleged that the recovered money was part of Congress' illegal fund collection, meant for upcoming polls.

"Rs 42 crore cash was recovered from Ambikapathy's house. Another Rs 40 crore was recovered from the residence of another builder Santhosh Krishnappa. We have information regarding the 5-state elections. All this money belongs to Congress," BJP leader CT Ravi said.

"We had earlier alleged that the state (Karnataka) would be an ATM for the Congress Government. That has turned out to be true. The truth will come out after enquiry. We are demanding a CBI inquiry," he said.

Income Tax (I-T) department officials last week seized a cash stash worth Rs 42 crore from the premises belonging to a contractor, R Ambikapathy in Bengaluru.

The raids sparked off a heated debate with BJP alleging that the money was part of Congress's illegal fund, meant for campaigning in assembly polls in Telangana and four other states to be held in November.