I-T raids continue, records examined

Sources in the I-T department said raids of a minor nature went on till late evening on Tuesday. The sleuths targeted residences of offices of a few leaders, close to Reddy clan in Raichur, Bellary, Koppal and Gadag districts. All these leaders are stated to be in the mining business, sources added.

As many as 125 officers, who stayed at three different hotels in Hospet returned on Tuesday, while some more are still camping in Bellary to further examine available records.
On Monday, the IT sleuths raided residences of offices of seven BJP MLAs and mining firms in Bellary district, including ministers and mining lords G Janardhana Reddy and his brother G Karunakara Reddy.

A team of Lokayukta officials, who unearthed the illegal export of ore, is probing the incident. A CID team is also investigating into the same issue as per the State government’s order. Swastik Steels, Lakshmi Venkateshwar Minerals and ILC Mines are the prime suspect companies in the illegal ore export scam. Those firms raided by the IT sleuths also included these three. It is believed that the IT raids were carried out in support of the two separate probes.

The raids are being viewed as a move to prevent BJP leaders, the Reddy clan in particular, from poaching MLAs of the Congress and JDS. Over the past couple of weeks, BJP was trying to lure Congress and JDS MLAs to quit their respective parties and join the ruling party.