Congressional problem solver and chairman of the party’s Karnataka unit, DK Shivakumar, was indicted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday for accumulating disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 74.93 crore.
“The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case against the former Karnataka Government Minister (currently MLA) for allegations of possession of disproportionate assets amounting to Rs 74.93 million (approximately) on his behalf and in the name of their relatives, “said a CBI statement.
The agency conducted searches at the Bengaluru residence of the congressional leader, and also at 13 other locations throughout Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai at locations associated with Shivakumar’s family and associates.
Hours later, Shivakumar called CBI’s searches of properties linked to him “politically motivated” and said he would not bow to “conspiracies or pressure tactics to silence him.”
Claiming that neither he nor his family members had made any “mistakes”, he said they were harassing him “for political reasons”. “In 2017, at the time of the Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat, an income tax raid was conducted against me, in the 2018 economic crimes court, in the ED case of 2019 and in the CBI case in 2020.
It is purely politically motivated, “Shivakumar said. Speaking to reporters after the one-day IWC searches, he said he was willing to cooperate with the investigating agency as a law-abiding citizen.
“This is purely political as I raised a lot of questions about corruption against the state government and wanted to make a big agitation about the UP case (Hathras gang rape). Also, as the by-elections have come, they (BJP ) no “They don’t like me so they’re trying their best. I wish them all the best, “he said, adding that he would leave it to the voters.
The CBI has said that searches at 14 locations have led to the recovery of Rs 57 lakh in cash (approximately) and various incriminating documents, including proprietary documents, bank-related information, computer hard drive, etc., and that the investigation continues.
The IWC has registered a case against Shivakumar and his relatives on charges of possession of disproportionate assets worth Rs 74.93 million (approx.). He has filed a new case against the leader of Congress based on a source of information from another agency.
The information relates to assets accumulated during Shivakumar’s tenure as minister in Karnataka, they said.
Questioning Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on why an FIR was registered against him just before the elections when permission for the CBI investigation was granted long ago, Shivakumar said: “In prison, the FIRs cannot cow me “.
In his 30 years of political life, as a seven-time member of the judiciary, there were no accusations of corruption or related cases against him, apart from the emergency department and IT, he stated and said: “If I have made a mistake, I am ready. accept punishment. ” Stating that he does not want to talk about the wrongdoing of others and that he has all the necessary documents, Shivakumar said that “when the time comes, I will speak about it.”
He said the prime minister could be under pressure from someone higher and thus gave permission for CBI to conduct an investigation against him, despite the general counsel expressed reservations. Shivakumar alleged that he, along with about 140 of his associates, were being repeatedly harassed by TI and ED.
“It is his illusion that he can cow me by doing all this. Until the moment that the God I trust is with me, along with my people and leaders, DK Shivakumar will not bow to such conspiracies. It is only politics,” he added. Rejecting the IWC’s claim about the recovery of Rs 57 lakh in cash during the raid, Shivakumar said that according to the panchnama given to him, Rs 1.77.00 was seized from his home, approximately Rs three lakh to four lakh of his office and about Rs 2 -3 lakh from his Delhi home.
“Other than that, nothing,” he said. “How will I know if something has been recovered from houses that are not mine? I answer for what is in my house,” he said, also pointing out that he was a farmer by birth, businessman by profession, educator of choice and politician by passion.
Before addressing the media, Shivakumar thanked supporters who had gathered near his residence in their support and protest against the IWC.
The locations searched include properties of Shivakumar’s brother and Rural Bengaluru MP DK Suresh. According to sources, CBI detectives arrived at their homes in Bengaluru and also Doddalahalli in Kanakapura this morning.
Suresh in a tweet said they were fully cooperating with CBI officials when he claimed that BJP’s ‘hollow threats’ would not shake them or bow to pressure tactics. The officials also visited Shivakumar’s property in Kodihalliin Ramanagara, where his mother Gowramma resides.
Gowramma later told reporters that officials spoke to her and did not question her or “harass” her in any way.
Congressional leaders attacked the BJP governments in the Center and in Karnataka over the IWC searches, questioning their timing before the November 3 elections to the Sira and RR Nagar Assembly segments.
Party workers staged protests and demonstrations in front of Shivakumar’s residence and in various places against CBI records, calling the agency a “BJP agent.” Shivakumar was arrested on September 23 last year by the Directorate of Execution (ED) in the case of money laundering and held in the Tihar prison under judicial custody.
The congressional leader was released from jail on October 23 after the Delhi High Court granted him bail. Congressional spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala called it a “raid raj” and a “Machiavellian move” by the BJP government.
CBI should unearth the layers of corruption in Yediyurappa Govt. But ‘Raid Raj’ is his only ‘MachiavellianMove’! “Surjewala said on Twitter.” Let the front organizations of Modi & Yediyurappa Govts & BJP, i.e. CBI-ED-Income Tax, know that the workers and leaders of Congress will not cower or bow down to such devious attempts. Our determination to fight for the people and expose BJP mismanagement only grows stronger, “he tweeted.
Congressional Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah also said in a tweet: “@ BJP4India has always tried to indulge in vindictive politics and mislead public attention.” “The latest CBI raid on @KPCCPresident @ DKShivakumar’s home is yet another attempt to derail our preparation for the by-elections. I strongly condemn this,” he tweeted.
Senior Deputy Minister CN Ashwath Narayan said the CBI searches of properties linked to Shivakumar were not politically motivated and had nothing to do with the November 3 elections for two assembly constituencies in the state.
The state BJP called congressional protests over the CBI searches “ridiculous and pointless. JD (S) leader and former Prime Minister HD Kumaraswamy said he was not ready to comment immediately, as all political parties would say he is politically motivated.
“… if an elected representative had done his job honestly, there is no need to fear if we are honest. One must be ready to face anything,” he said, adding that he still has some faith in constitutional agencies.
(With PTI inputs)
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