Income Tax Department is Not on Neutral Gear

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IT Sleuths Conduct Raids Across 15 Places in Bengaluru

In six months, IT raids were conducted against 15 members of the Opposition parties and one BJP lawmaker.

New Delhi: Though the Income Tax department claimed that its raids were not politically coloured, the truth is otherwise.

In last six months, IT raids were conducted against 15 members of the Opposition parties and one BJP functionary. The BJP distanced itself from the functionary.

In response to an advisory from the Election Commission, the Revenue Department under the Finance Ministry Monday said it was being “neutral” and “impartial”. Numbers speak otherwise.

Details of the raids: five in Karnataka, three in Tamil Nadu, two in Andhra Pradesh, two in Delhi and one each in MP, J&K and UP.

IT Sleuths Conduct Raids Across 15 Places in Bengaluru
IT Sleuths Conduct Raids Across 15 Places in Bengaluru

During the same period, searches were conducted at premises linked to one BJP functionary in Uttarakhand — the party later distanced itself from the individual.

Karnataka bore the brunt of the raids. On March 27 and 28, tax officials another Opposition-ruled state, Karnataka, where the JD(S)-Congress alliance is in power. Tax searches were carried out in Mandya at the premises of JD(S) leader and nephew of Karnataka Minor Irrigation Minister CS Puttaraju, who has been assigned to oversee the election campaign of Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil.

The same day, the tax department also carried out operations at the premises of several associates of Kumaraswamy’s brother and Public Works Department Minister HD Revanna, in Hassan along with Revanna’s associates Ashwath Narayan Reddy and Raya Gowda.

Earlier, raids were conducted on the premises of Congress minister and trouble-shooter of the party DK Shivakumar. 

The latest raid was on Telugu Desam lawmaker and candidate from Guntur Galla Jayadev who created a buzz in his hard-hittin opening speech on no-confidence motion against Narendra Modi government in the Lok Sabha.
But what hit the headlines was the recent searches against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s associates.

IT Raids Continue, This Time Against TDP Candidate Galla Jayadev
Galla Jayadev

This was preceded by searches in Andhra Pradesh at the premises of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam’s Chairman and TDP nominee for Mydukur Assembly constituency Putta Sudhakar Yadav and TDP leader and businessman CM Ramesh.

On March 29, the I-T department carried out searches in Tamil Nadu at premises of DMK Treasurer and Katpadi MLA Durai Murugan and institutions run by his son DM Kathir Anand.