Rs 20,000 crore money laundering complaint against H D Kumaraswamy

The former Chief Minister of Karnataka is already facing an inquiry in Janthakal mining case

The investigations wing of the Income Tax department in Karnataka has received a complaint against former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. The complaint has accused Kumaraswamy of benami transactions and money laundering to the tune of Rs 20,000 crore. The department has taken cognizance of the complaint.

Venkatesh Gowda, a Congress worker has alleged that Kumaraswamy and his family have amassed wealth with unknown sources of income and have indulged in benami transactions. The complainant has filed a two-page complaint with 6,250 pages of documents to support his allegation. The complainant has demanded that allegations against Kumaraswamy be probed. "The family is into all sorts of business activities like real estate film production, exports, textiles and international money laundering," the complainant alleged.

Venkatesh has further accused Kumaraswamy of running an extortion racket. Questions have been raised on Kumaraswamy's brother, H D Balakrishna Gowda and his wife buying properties in different parts of the country and outside. The complaint claims that the documents submitted to the income tax department officials reveal the investments, transactions, ownership and business deals of H D Kumaraswamy and his family members.

"AS per the documents provided, this is a clear case of how illegally earned money is being deposited into the banks and have been invested in purchasing properties in Karnataka, New Delhi and the United States of America in the names of different benamis who are workers of the JD(S) party from Hassan and Bengaluru," the complainant alleged. The complainant has sought a thorough inquiry into the allegations and raids on Kumaraswamy and his family members' properties.

Kumaraswamy already faces an inquiry in the Janthakal mining case. It is alleged that when he was the chief minister in 2007, permissions were granted illegally to a mining firm to clear ore despite a ban. Kumaraswamy is accused of misuse of office and pressuring officials to clear files pertaining to the permissions.

OneIndia News