K’taka: IT raids continue for 3rd consecutive day, documentary evidence seized

Bengaluru: For the third day, on October 9, Sleuths of the Income Tax (IT) Department continued the searches at the premises of BJP leader B.Y. Vijayendra’s classmate Aravind, and contractor Somashekar.

IT officials conducted searches at Aravind’s Vasanth Nagar house on Saturday too. When the raids began on Thursday, Aravind was abroad and the officials summoned him for questioning.

Searches at the properties belonging to Samashekar continued for the third day. The IT officials have seized a large number of documents containing details of tenders of project works taken up, from the house and office of Somashekar in Basaveshwaranagar, sources reported.

Somashekhar is a close aide of Umesh, the personal assistant of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and his sons. There were some financial dealings between the two, sources added.

The simultaneous raids continued at Rahul Enterprises in Sahakaranagar and other contractors who are suspected to be involved in the irregularities in major projects of the Irrigation Department between 2019 and 2021.

The raids were conducted in more than 50 places in Bengaluru, Bagalkot, and Tumakuru.

According to sources the documents seized are likely to be taken to Delhi for further analysis of total income to extract evidence of financial wrongdoing of each individual including Umesh, contractors, and chartered accountants allegedly involved in the irregularities.

Sources said that the raids were conducted on the specific inputs regarding huge kickbacks to the tune of Rs 20,000 crores for the contracts of various schemes in the Water Resources Ministry during Yeddyurappa’s tenure as chief minister.

The officers raided the house of Umesh, who was the BMTC conductor cum driver turned contractor, who is allegedly made fortunes after coming into the close circles of Yediyurappa. He worked as the Personal Secretary of Yediyurappa and his services were also continued by the Bommai government. However, after this fact came out in open, his appointment was taken back.

Meanwhile, the opposition leaders from Congress and JD(S) have attacked the ruling BJP government in this connection. KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar, former chief ministers, Siddharamaiah and H.D. Kumaraswamy had commented that IT raids are done to take Yediyurappa and his son Vijayendra into control.

(With inputs from IANS)