CMs protest: I-T dept files complaint

The Income-Tax Department, Karnataka and Goa region has filed a complaint with the Election Commission, regarding the protest staged by chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, DyCM G Parameshwara and others, recently.

Responding to questions at a media meet, Sanjiv Kumar, the chief electoral officer said that a complaint has been received regarding the protest. "We have forwarded the complaint to the Director General and Inspector General of Police," he said.

Without disclosing details on the accused in the complaint, he said that it "pertained to threat to life and unlawful assembly". The police will investigate the case and take appropriate action, he said.

Apart from it, the I-T department has also written to the principal secretary of the revenue department regarding the protest in front of its Queens Road office in the city.

Kumaraswamy and other leaders of the coalition government had staged a protest on March 28, alleging that I-T raids were "selective" and targetted only JD(S) workers. More than 30 businessmen were raided by I-T sleuths in multiple locations of South Karnataka region including Bengaluru.

During the protest and prior to the raids, Kumaraswamy had targetted B R Balakrishnan, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax and Director (Investigation), accusing him of acting to the whims of BJP central government in anticipation of a gubernatorial role after his retirement.