Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan guesses H D Kumaraswamy’s role behind ED raids

Cong MLA Khan guesses HDK’s role behind ED raids Bengaluru:

Former Karnataka minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan on Monday said no one from his Congress party was behind the ED raids he faced last week, but he did not rule out JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy’s role.

Last Thursday, Khan was raided by the ED, which he said was in connection with his bungalow-like residence he has built in the city.

“No one from the Congress is behind the raids. However, I won’t say there’s no politics behind it. Could it be the BJP or the JD(S)? Give me 15 days and I’ll reveal details of who gave ED a complaint that resulted in the raid,” Khan told reporters.

Read | Only those who’ve done illegal work are raided: CM Bommai

The Chamrajpet MLA also noted Kumaraswamy’s media statement that he had nothing to do with the raids. “Why did he have to clarify? Did I say Kumaraswamy was the complainant? This makes me doubt him,” Khan said. Khan was the JD(S) until 2018.

Khan blamed “some people averse to my political growth" for the raids.

According to Khan, the ED wanted details from him on the construction of his lavish house. “If it had to do with my assets, the IT department should have come,” he said, adding that the ED had neither issued a notice nor filed an FIR. “I gave them all the details. There are only two documents that I am yet to submit - the sale deed, which is pledged with the Janatha Seva Cooperative Bank, and the contractor’s bills. I have sought time to submit them,” he said.

Read | 'ED raids on Zameer's properties politically motivated'

Miffed that he was being targeted for having constructed a big house, Khan said there was no law that barred him from doing so. “One news channel even compared my house with Ambani’s. His house is worth Rs 5,000 crore. He has two floors just to park cars. I’ve built my house on a paltry 30,000 sqft,” he said.

Khan reiterated that the raids had nothing to do with the multi-crore IMA scam. “It’s true that I sold land [to IMA] in 2017. That has been inquired into and cleared.”

Speaking to reporters, Kumaraswamy said: "Are ED and IT in my hands? Ask [Khan] why he is naming me. He has too much love for me. I'm busy with my party workers and agriculture."