Congress and JD(S) protest against I-T raids

Bengaluru, Mar 28: Income-Tax (IT) department conducted raids at multiple locations in Bengaluru, Hassan, Mandya, Mysuru at locations of 17 contractors and 7 officers from Public Works Department (PWD) and Irrigation Department.

Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy accompanied by several Congress leaders, including his deputy G Parameshwara, Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar are protesting against the raids.

IT sleuths have raided Karnataka Minister CS Puttaraju's house in Mysuru and Mandya. The slueths have begun search operations at residences belonged to three contractors, said to be close associates of PWD minister H.D. Revanna.

They also conducted search operations in the office and residence of PWD Executive Engineer C.S. Manju in Hassan.

Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) leader Puttaraju said three teams of Income Tax officials and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel carried out raids at his Chinnakurli residence in Mandya and his nephew's house in Mysuru.

The development came a day after, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy raised fears about possible raids on Congress and JD(S) functionaries in the state.

He had claimed that CRPF personnel were brought from various parts of the country to carry out the raids.

"Three teams of I-T officials and CRPF soldiers comprising eight soldiers carried out raids at my Chinnakurli residence in Mandya and my nephew's residence in Mysuru," Puttaraju told the channel.

The minister said he was not afraid of the raids and instead, it had instilled confidence in him.

"I'm not deterred by the raids, which are election related. I would like to know which BJP leader's house in Karnataka has been raided," Puttaraju, who is in-charge minister of Mandya district, said.

The JD(S) has assigned him to oversee the electioneering of HD Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is fighting his maiden election from the Mandya Lok Sabha seat.

The chief minister had on Wednesday warned that he would follow what his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Bannerjee did to counter the 'misuse' of central agencies.