Raids at premises tied to HD Deve Gowda, Anantkumar Hegde

NEW DELHI: The income tax department raided various places in Hassan, Mandya, Bengaluru and

Uttara Kannada

district on Tuesday, two days before the first phase of polling in the state. Falling under the I-T radar were relatives of JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda in his native

Haradanahalli

,

Hassan district

, and aides of junior Union minister for skill development and entrepreneurship Anantkumar Hegde in Uttara Kannada. Officials from Goa and Hubballi seized cash from the residence of Hegde’s aides and BJP functionaries in Sirsi and Siddapur.


Prior to Tuesday, the I-T department had conducted 33 searches in the state after the general elections were announced. Officials had seized Rs 18.28 crore in cash and jewellery worth Rs 6.51 crore. The raids acquired political tones with H D Kumaraswamy leading a protest against state I-T head B R Balakrishnan, who sought legal action against the CM for obstructing public servants discharging their duties. “I still stand by my statement that Balakrishnan is acting at the behest of BJP leaders. He must be transferred,” Kumaraswamy reiterated on Tuesday.