Karnataka - Bangalore   

‘Why am I being linked to raids?’

Special Correspondent

Media reports rile Kumaraswamy

BANGALORE: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday expressed displeasure over news reports linking his name to the assets seized by Income Tax Department sleuths during raids on a realtor, who is also a Janata Dal (S) worker.

Addressing presspersons here, he said, “I fail to understand why my name is being linked to the IT raids? Thousands of such raids had been conducted in the country so far. Nobody attributed links to anyone.”

Officials from the investigation wing of the IT raided residential premises of several prominent land developers in the city on Tuesday and recovered huge cash and documents pertaining to investments on lands and in banks.

Irked by the media reports, the Chief Minister said, “it is true that Gottigere Manjunath is a JD (S) worker. But why has the media come to the conclusion that he is close to me, I don’t know. Do I look like a worried man?” Mr. Kumaraswamy asked. He was referring to reports that the Chief Minister faced anxious moments during the raids on the office and residence of Mr. Manjunath.

When IT raids were conducted on the residence of the former Union Minister Sukh Ram in Himachal Pradesh, the assets seized at that time was not linked to the Congress or the then Prime Minister in the media, he said.

The Chief Minister was critical of the speculation in the media on the amount seized and asked “where did you get information that Rs. 12 crore or Rs. 22 crore was seized from Mr. Manjunath? If the Chief Minister is involved, will the IT people spare me?”

To a question, he said the raids were not part of any witch-hunt by any agency. “If anyone has not revealed income and assets, he will have to face action. All are equal before the law,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said.

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