By Diksha Mehta-
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted unpredicted raids at 14 premises related to Karnataka Congress Chief DK Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh in the wee hours of Monday.
The raids were carried out at nine locations in Karnataka, four in Delhi and one in Mumbai, in connection to an alleged corruption case. Search was also conducted at his younger brother DK Suresh’s premises in Bengaluru and Ramanagara.
It is being averred that a search warrant was obtained by the CBI from a Special CBI Court late evening on Sunday. So far, Rs.50 Lakh are said to have been confiscated from these 14 locations.
It is common knowledge that a money laundering case was filed last year against DK Shivakumar for disproportionate assets by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBI probe was most probably a spin-off of the proceedings of the ED.
Shivakumar was arrested in September, 2019 in relation to Rs.8.9 Crores of undisclosed income which was later found out to be Rs.11 Crore by the Income Tax department and a money laundering case was registered against him on this basis.
It is alleged that Shivakumar and his brother Shashi Kumar, chief manager at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited were involved in benami transactions due to which the CBI had given its nod to conduct further investigation against them in September, 2019.
It is being anticipated that other leaders connected to him and family members of the DK Shivakumar may come under the scanner of the CBI in this matter and further searches may be conducted at other locations.
The search party incited rage in the other Congress leaders. Expressing their anger, they tweeted-
Congress Chief Spokesperson Radeep Singh Surjewala condemned the BJP saying: “The insidious game of intimidation & machinations of Modi-Yeddyurappa duo being executed by a puppet CBI by raiding @DKShivakumar won’t deter us. CBI should be unearthing the layers of corruption in Yeddyurappa Govt. But, ‘Raid Raj’ is their only ‘Machiavellian Move’!
Siddaramaiah, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly tweeted: “@BJP4India has always tried to indulge in vindictive politics & mislead public attention. The latest CBI raid on @KPCCPresident @DKShivakumar‘s house is another attempt to derail our preparation for bypolls. I strongly condemn this.”
K.C. Venugopal said: “Karnataka by-poll election in the offing, no surprise! BJP came with the same script. BJP’s tactics to deter our efforts by conducting CBI raids on Shri @DKShivakumar & Shri DK Suresh will only make us stronger! BJP’s continued misuse of agencies is an attack on our democracy.”