Uproar in RS over IT raids: Only one minister raided, says Jaitley

The IT department conducted raids at the Eagleton Golf resort near Bengaluru in which the 44 Gujarat Congress MLAs are staying. Raids are also being conducted at the residence of Karnataka minister

Parliament's ongoing monsoon session witnessed ruckus on Wednesday with the Congress MPs raising the issue of income tax raids in Karnataka. The Opposition blamed the NDA government of misusing state agencies.

Replying to the agitated Congress members in Rajya Sabha, the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that no search was held in the Eagleton resort as such and no MLA was questioned." He also confirmed that only one particular Karnataka minister was searched.

He further said, "Please get informed correctly. No search on MLAs took place. Only one minister was searched."

The opposition attacked the government over the Income Tax Department's raids at Karnataka Power Minister DK Shivakumar's residence and the Eagleton golf resort, where Congress MLAs from Gujarat are staying. The Rajya Sabha witnesssed protests by the opposition members against the "witch-hunt by the government".

Congress leader Anand Sharma, while speaking on IT raids, called the raids are 'blatant misuse powers of the Centre'. He also said, "This is a targeted timing as the minister and his cousins are facilitating the stay of the Congress leaders."

Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm.

Cornering the BJP government, Leader Of Opposition in the House, Ghulam Nabhi Azad said, "If this raid is only on a person, then you could have done it a month before, or a month after."

Replying to Azad, Finance Minister said, "A resort is no immune place. Since the minister in question 'parked' himself in the resort, the I-T officials raided."

Earlier, reacting to the raids, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala also called the IT raids 'dirty and ugly trick' by the BJP.

He said after BJP resorting to IT raids after it failed to bribe legislators in Gujarat.

'Attempt was made to bribe legislators in Gujarat; when everything failed, a frustrated BJP Govt now resorting to IT raids on Congress leader,' he added.

Meanwhile, IT officials have recovered Rs 5 crore cash from the Delhi residence of DK Shivakumar, reports PTI.

The IT department conducted raids at the Eagleton Golf resort near Bengaluru in which the 44 Gujarat Congress MLAs are staying. Raids are also being conducted at the residence of Karnataka minister, D K Shivakumar's residence.

Shivakumar who is the energy minister is in charge of hospitality for the Gujarat Congress MLAs. To avoid poaching, the MLAs from Gujarat were shifted to the Eagleton Golf resort, around 40 kilometres from Bengaluru.

However, the IT officials clarified that the raid is conducted only on Karnataka Energy Minister DK Shivakumar and its not concerned with the Gujarat Congress MLAs staying in Eagleton Golf resort in Bengaluru.

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