Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Mar 30: Karnataka chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, wondered whether the income tax officials could unearth even ten rupees of illegal money during their two-day income tax raids on contractors. Speaking to media persons, he maintained that no irregularities were found by officials anywhere.

"I am aware how Yeddyurappa got himself exonerated from cases registered against him. When I was the chief minister, I had kept Rs 1,000 crore at the disposal of Bengaluru Metro Transport Corporation. I have records to prove where Ashok misused this money when he became minister. Do you think income tax officials are not aware of these things?" he questioned. He also said that the officials had raided the house of Siddique Sait, who is close to JD(S) leaders, since Wednesday night and searched his residence.

In the meantime, Congress party has complained to the President and central election commission, alleging that the union government has been misusing income tax department to crush the opposition. They said that similar raids were conducted just before the assembly election last year. The party said that the income tax department is behaving like an agent of BJP.

A delegation of Congress leaders led by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Dinesh Gundu Rao, handed over a complaint addressed to the central election commission, through the state election commission on Friday. The party's women's wing also urged the Women's Commission to extend protection to a woman who is facing harassment at the hands of Bengaluru (south) BJP candidate, Tejasvi Surya.