Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (DC)

Bengaluru, Mar 22: Karnataka Energy minister D K Shiva Kumar has got a big relief in the case related to tearing of a sheet of paper in frenzy during the Income tax raid on August 2 last year.

The Special Court for Economic Affairs had taken a cognizance of a complaint filed by the income tax department to launch criminal proceedings under sections of IPC and IT Act for destruction of evidence and income tax evasion against the minister. The court had issued summons to the minister to appear for hearing on March 22.

The court has granted anticipatory bail to the minister in this case with Rs 25,000 as surety and on condition that he will not destroy any evidence and will be presence for further questioning.

Lawyers in the court argued in favour of the minister and said that there was no intention to destroy any evidence during the raid. "The minister has already filed his statement with the officials investigating the case. There is an attempt to divert the probe. All the IT sections registered against the minister are bailable cases."

Whereas the lawyers of IT department claimed that it was not a politically inspired raid against the minister and there was enough evidence for the same.

It may be recalled that on August 2 last year, the taxmen had launched a massive raid on D K Shivakumar and his associates. When the taxmen entered the room of a resort he stayed in, he tore the sheet that he was checking.