I-T raids on Congmen go on, CM sees 'ulterior motive'

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sees an “ulterior motive” behind the Income Tax raids on the houses of Small Scale Industries Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, his brother Lakhan and Laxmi Hebbalkar, the president of the KPCC women’s wing, in Belagavi district.

“The Income Tax Department has the right to conduct raids on residences/offices of people and we don’t question that. But it is targeting Congress leaders with an ulterior motive. This is not fair,” he told journalists in Shivamogga on Friday.

Meanwhile, I-T officials from Bengaluru and Hubballi, under police protection, continued the raids for the second day, a source said. They are targeting the houses of Jarkiholi brothers and their associates Hussainsab Mulla and Ali Akhtar at Gokak, their relative Shankar Powade at Benadi village in Chikkodi taluk, Hebbalkar’s house at Kuvempu Nagar in Belagavi and Congress leader Panchangouda Dyamangoudar at Munavalli town in Savadatti taluk.