Bengaluru Income Tax Raid: Crores Of Rupees Seized From Contractor's Flat

In a late-evening operation, Income Tax (IT) department in Bengaluru began search and seizure operations against several prominent contractors in Karnataka. IT raids were also conducted at two more locations in RT Nagar, where a substantial sum of currency notes was discovered concealed beneath the sofa of a residence in the Atmananda Colony in Hebbal.

The raids targeted at least five contractors, including R. Ambikapathy, president of the BBMP Contractors' Association and vice-president of the Karnataka Contractors' Association.

According to reports, IT sleuths recovered a huge cache of money from a flat associated with Ambikapathy. The money was stashed in over 23 cardboard boxes and kept under a bed in a flat where Ambikapathy did not stay.

Speculations were rife that the recovery was to the tune of over Rs 40 crores, but IT sleuths remained tight-lipped and there was no independent confirmation of the same.

Presently, authorities are diligently investigating the ownership of the substantial sum discovered within the flat, as well as determining who possesses the flat in which the cash was originally hidden. The IT officials, who are keeping the details confidential, continue to press forward with their inquiry.

It must be noted that Ambikapathy had previously made allegations against the BJP government, asserting a 40 percent commission rate. He levelled serious accusations against certain political figures, claiming that 40 percent had to be paid for work within the state and 50 percent in BBMP. His allegations led to a defamation case filed by BJP MLA N Munirathna, who was accused of commission. In this case, Ambikapati was arrested by Vayyalikaval station police but was later released on bail.

Notably, Ambikapathy's wife, Ashwathamma, is the elder sister of former Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivas Murthy and previously served as the corporator of Kaval Bairasandra ward in 2001.