JOIN USTax sleuths continued to search properties linked to Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, his family and friends in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya and Hassan.
They concentrated on the premises of his family astrologer Dwarakanth ‘Guruji’ in Bengaluru, MLC S Ravi in Kanakapura and his father-in-law Thimmaiah in Mysuru. Ravi is also related to Shivakumar.
The action against the Congress strongman began early on Wednesday and continued late into the night on Thursday.
It was reported on Wednesday that sleuths had seized about Rs 11 crore from places associated with Shivakumar in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mysuru.
The co-ordinated action has led to the seizure of documents relating to his various businesses, besides bank statements and cheques.
Sources said the documents reveal investments in Singapore and other foreign locations, and a property deal involving the son of a former chief minister from the BJP.
Unconfirmed reports said the tax officials found ownership documents relating to shopping complexes in Dubai and Singapore and a property in Birmingham near London.
According to a panchnama report, the search party only seized books of accounts from the residence of D K Suresh, MP and Shivakumar’s brother.
The report, which does not refer to any cash or jewellery, names Vittal Rao Nalige, a resident of RMV Extension, and Partha K R, a resident of Magadi Main Road, as witnesses.
Grilled for two hours
Tax officials questioned Shivakumar for about two hours about his connections with some solar power equipment firms.
A note maintained by Shivakumar came to light later in the day; it purportedly talks about Rs 3 crore being paid to the Congress high command through a hawala channel.
DKS’s mom blames CM
D K Shivakumar’s mother Gowramma suspects Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is behind the raids. “He used my two sons and backstabbed them. He is behind the I-T action,” she told reporters.
She said Siddaramaiah had remained mum till late afternoon on Wednesday, although the raids began in the morning. “He just tweeted against the action. Some people are jealous of the growing political stature of my sons and are troubling them. My sons are pure and will come out clean,” she said.
What’s in the ACs?
I-T officials got an electrician to open up the ACs at Shivakumar’s house: they suspected he stashed away cash inside. They had found three lockers at his house on Wednesday. They could not open one of them, an electronic locker, as they did not have the password. They called a locksmith to break it open as Shivakumar refused to share the password. The locker contained investment documents, a source said.