File photo of the head of the Congress of Karnataka, Shivakumar.
Monday’s searches may not have come as a surprise to Shivakumar, who, on a few occasions in the recent past, had made some references in his remarks to an impending CBI operation.
- News18 Bangalore
- Last update: October 5, 2020 11:49 PM IST
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Two huge prosecution cases initiated by the income tax department and, in parallel, a money laundering investigation by the Enforcement Directorate.
It is an unfortunate Monday for former minister, congressional strongman, and chairman of his Karnataka unit, DK Shivakumar, who had detectives from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) knocking on his doors in the Tony Sadashivanagar area of Bangalore. The residential neighborhood woke up to the convoy of vehicles, the gang of policemen, and of course the media frenzy Monday morning with searches taking place at Shivakumar’s home.
Following the income tax evasion, benami property, evidence destruction, and money laundering cases consecutively filed by federal investigative agencies against Shivakumar, also known as DKS, the CBI has registered a case under the Act of Prevention of Corruption. This means that detectives are carefully studying the disproportionate assets and accumulated wealth against known sources of income. However, according to official CBI sources, an investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act grants a large bandwidth extended to various sections of the IPC and CrPC. The investigation will also focus on the alleged misuse of public office and the rewards received when DKS held powerful positions during the congressional-led government.
“After the income tax searches and investigations, we had gathered evidence on the alleged bonus received from energy contracts and solar project tenders when DKS was the energy minister. This information and related documents were passed on to the CBI which are now being used to base His investigation. The money accumulated from the alleged bribes was used to purchase wealth. So many benami properties came out, “a senior IT official who was in charge of the evasion cases explained to News18 tax and property benami.
However, Monday’s searches may not have come as a surprise to DKS, who, on a few occasions in the recent past, had made some references in its remarks to an impending CBI operation. Polls and searches seem to have become a pattern for DKS. Cut to August 2, 2017, when DKS was assembling the 44 MLAs from Gujarat Congress who were secured from the BJP poaching network during the Rajya Sabha elections in that state. The MLA took refuge at Eagleton Golf Resort, about 30 km from Bengaluru, and DKS provided for their safety.
In simultaneous searches, IT officials pounced on the complex and properties belonging to the DKS family and friends. Almost 300 officials had searched 67 locations, including an apartment in Delhi that was reportedly being used by DKS from where nearly Rs 10.8 million in cash was seized. The searches culminated in the recovery of stacks of documents, fingerprints of financial transactions and identification of tax evasions.
The IT department provided enough information for the Directorate of Execution to intervene. The money laundering trail was explored and, after several days of interrogations in the national capital last year, DKS was arrested. Again, the arrest occurred and DKS was released on bail in late October after 50 days in Tihar jail. This, just as the Karnataka elections were just around the corner in December 2019. He returned to Bangalore with a huge demonstration behind him, a show of force, organized by the Vokkaliga groups and their supporters.
After a brief hiatus, in a major political move, DKS was appointed KPCC president and took office in July. The timing of the CBI case and the searches against DKS are anyone’s guess. This time, DKS was exercising its muscles for the upcoming by-elections to the Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Sira assembly constituencies with preliminary reports on the ground indicating that Congress was on strong ground in both seats.
Congress party workers and DKS supporters had gathered in large numbers in front of his residence at the time of the search and shouted slogans against the BJP. Party leaders screamed hoarsely, calling the operation motivated and agenda-driven.
“This raid is a continuation of BJP’s policy of revenge against me,” Shivakumar tweeted. “Congress has been fighting on behalf of the people since Corona and exposing the failures of the BJP government. Such raids will not prevent me from fighting injustice. We will win against such tactics in the people’s court.”
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