Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Aug 23: The home and office of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s chartered accountant was raided by the income-tax department for the second time.

The raid started on August 21 and CA HB Sunil, who maintains the accounts of the CM and his family members, was not allowed to leave his office premises till late Wednesday.

It is less than three months since the first raid on HB Sunil’s home and office was conducted. The first raid was conducted in May during assembly elections.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy

Though there are speculations that the raid could be politically motivated, a senior police officer told media that Sunil has been on the I-T radar for quite some time. The officer had also warned the CM’s assistant on possible raids.

Sunil handles all personal investments and business investments of the CM, his wife Anitha Kumaraswamy and son Nikhil. He is even said to have handled the JD(S) party fund mobilised by Kumaraswamy during the Assembly polls.

The political circles are abuzz that the raids could be a tactic of the BJP to break the JD(S)-Congress coalition. Congress leaders Minister DK Shivakumar, relatives of KJ George, former ministers M Krishnappa, MB Patil and HC Mahadevappa had come under the I-T scanner prior to and during the Assembly polls. Shivakumar had termed the CBI raids 'political vendetta' of the BJP and condemned the central government for using IT and central agencies.

Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy who is set to complete 100 days as CM on August 30 is on a temple run and will visit shrines and temples in Rajasthan and Pushkar on Thursday.