Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (DC)

Bengaluru, Apr 10: Chief minister (CM) H D Kumaraswamy along with other ministers and prominent leaders of the ruling coalition including Siddaramaiah had protested against the Income Tax department alleging that the recent raids were politically motivated. But now, the Director General of Investigation (Income Tax) BR Balakrishnan has filed a complaint with Election Commission accusing CM and others for alerting financial offenders about impending raids.

In a complaint dated March 30, to the Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar, income tax department official Balakrishnan alleged that HD Kumaraswamy as well as other ministers and prominent leaders of the ruling coalition posed a threat to Income Tax officials by protesting at its Bengaluru headquarters against raids undertaken on contractors and other tax offenders.

The CM had broken his oath of office by alerting tax evaders, Balakrishnan alleged in his complaint referring to a statement issued by the former on March 27. The department has also sought a CRPF contingent for assistance in search operations as well as follow-up actions.

Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar has forwarded the complaint, to State Director General and Inspector General of Police Neelamani Raju for appropriate action.

The income tax department had conducted raids on the residences of government contractors and engineers in Mysuru, Mandya and Hassan on March 27 and 28 and seized Rs 8.14 crore cash and jewelry worth Rs 1.69 crore.

Following complaint by the income tax department the CM alleged that he is being targeted by the Income Tax department as well as the Election Commission, with investigators regularly waylaying his vehicle to conduct searches.

KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao too had blamed Balakrishnan of acting on the instructions of a political party.