Shivakumar's brother disputes CBI claim on cash recovery during searches

Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar's brother and MP from Bengaluru Rural D K Suresh on Tuesday claimed that the CBI has accounted for only Rs 6.78 lakh cash seized at their premises, though it said Rs 57 lakh was recovered during the searches.

In a series of tweets, he sought a clarification from the CBI on the remaining Rs 50.22 lakhs. The investigating agency had on Monday claimed that the searches at the premises of Shivakumar and others led to the recovery of cash of Rs 57 lakh and several incriminating documents including property documents, bank related information, computer hard disk.

The CBI has registered a case against Shivakumar for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets worth Rs 74.93 crore. "I also would like to clarify that the CBI has accounted for a total cash of Rs 6.78 lakhs between my brother's and my premises," Suresh tweeted. He said, "In my Delhi residence cash Rs 1.57 lakh, my brother's residence in Bengaluru cash Rs 1.71 Lakh, his home office in Bengaluru cash Rs 3.5 lakh was accounted for. No cash was accounted for in my brother's Delhi residence nor in my residence in Bengaluru."

Pointing out that CBI has declared cash Rs 57 lakh was seized during the searches Suresh sought clarification with regard to balance Rs 50.22 lakhs "this amount was not found and accounted for in our premises". Shivakumar too on Monday disputing the CBI's claim of Rs 57 lakh recovery, had said, "I have panchnama with me.... How will I know if something has been recovered from houses not related to me? I'm answerable to what is in my house."

The central agency on Monday conducted searches at 14 locations linked to Shivakumar, including Karnataka, Delhi and Mumbai, in connection with the allegations of possession of disproportionate assets. Further stating that Jewellery and ornaments assessed by the IT and ED earlier were re-assessed by CBI, Suresh said the CBI officials have collected all the documents submitted to IT and ED officials.

Suresh also complimented the CBI officials for their professional conduct during the search at his premises and that of his brother on Monday "without any harassment." "We will continue to cooperate in every way possible with all authorities to clear our names. We will come out of this with your blessings and good wishes," he added.

Shivakumar on Monday had termed searches conducted by CBI on properties linked to him at 14 places as "politically motivated" and said he would not bow down to "conspiracies or pressure tactics to shut him up". He was earlier arrested on September 23 last year by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case and was lodged in the Tihar jail under judicial custody. The Congress leader was released from the jail on October 23 after the Delhi High Court granted him bail.