The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday conducted simultaneous raids at multiple locations across the country, including residences as well as business establishments, connected with Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh in alleged a corruption case, officials said.
The raids by the central agency were immediately condemned by the Congress party, which called it a political vendetta and an “insidious game of intimidation”. The Karnataka government had on September 25, 2019, given sanction to CBI to probe DK Shivakumar under the prevention of corruption act. The case emanates from an ED probe and the anti-money laundering probe agency had arrested Shivakumar last year.
“CBI has registered a case against then Minister of Karnataka Government and others on the allegations of acquisition of Disproportionate Assets. Searches are being conducted today at 14 locations including 9 in Karnataka, 4 in Delhi, one in Mumbai. Details will follow,” the agency said in a statement. The case against Shivakumar is for amassing disproportionate assets, it added.
The raids by CBI started at 6am at their residence located in Doddallahalli village in Kanankapura constituency, which is represented by Shivakumar in the state assembly. DK Suresh represents Bengaluru Rural in the Lok Sabha.
Officials familiar with the development said the locations, including the Delhi residences of Suresh, are being raided by at least 60 officials of the central agency. One of the residences being raided is that of Iqbal Hussain, a close aide of Shivakumar. Officials said CBI has recovered Rs 50 lakh from premises it has searched in the corruption case related to Shivakumar.
Several leaders of the Congress party tweeted to condemn the raids.
“The insidious game of intimidation & machinations of Modi-Yeddyurappa duo being executed by a puppet CBI by raiding @DKShivakumar won’t deter us. CBI should be unearthing the layers of corruption in Yeddyurappa Govt. But, ‘Raid Raj’ is their only ‘Machiavellian Move’!” Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Congress’ national spokesperson, tweeted.
“Let Modi & Yeddyurappa Govts & BJP’s frontal organizations i.e CBI-ED-Income Tax know that Congress workers & leaders will not be cowed down nor bow down before such devious attempts. Our resolve to fight for people & expose BJP’s maladministration only becomes stronger,” he added.
Karnataka Congress tweeted that CBI has become a permanent electoral weapon for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “We condemn this politics of vendetta,” it said.
The Congress party said it will hold a protest meet at its headquarters against the CBI raid. “Afraid of losing the Sira and RR Nagar by-polls, the BJP is resorting to these tactics. We won’t be cowed down and will fight this,” Saleem Ahmed, the Congress state working president, said.
The CBI raids were also condemned by senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah. “@BJP4India has always tried to indulge in vindictive politics & mislead public attention. The latest CBI raid on @KPCCPresident @DKShivakumar ‘s house is another attempt to derail our preparation for bypolls. I strongly condemn this,” Siddaramaiah tweeted.
“After ED and I-T they have unleashed CBI. This is vendetta for what DKS did during the RS polls of our leader Ahmed Patel. We have belief and trust in the judiciary. We will fight it out,” Lakshmi Hebbalkar, former minister and Congress MLA, said.
Hundreds of supporters of the Congress leader gathered at the posh Sadashivnagar residence of Shivakumar and Suresh. Suresh appeared on the balcony of his residence and asked the supporters with folded hands to disperse, saying that the officials should be allowed to do their job.
Shivakumar was arrested on September 23 last year by ED in the money laundering case and was lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail under judicial custody. He was released a month later after Delhi High Court granted him bail.
