Bengaluru: The Income Tax department officials had seized Rs. 4 cr across the state, where in one of the raids Rs. 60 Lakhs was found in a car stepney, here on Saturday, April 20.
The money was seized on the Bengaluru-Shivamogga road. However, the I-T officials have denied to reveal the exact location, where they hasd seized the cash.
“The car was intercepted based on the confirmed information by sources and the money was transported to Shivamogga for elections”, said I-T officials.
Later, in the night Bharatiya Janata Party State President B S Yeddyurappa had called for an urgent press meet in which he alleged the state coalition of the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) leaders for being involved in this act.
He said, “Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his brother Public Works Department Minister H D Revanna are using money power to win the Lok Sabha election in Shivamogga.”
Meanwhile, in a press release, the Income Tax department (Karnataka-Goa circle) authorities informed that they were continuing proactive role in combating the role of money power in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
“Based on credible intelligence that cash would be transported from Bengaluru to Shivamogga and Bhadravati, a cash handler was intercepted and his vehicle was searched. Cash in Rs.2000 denomination has been found stuffed inside the stepney wheel of the vehicle. Rs 2.30 cr has been found. Follow up searches are underway in Bhadravati where a further seizure of Rs 60 lakh is expected,” informed authorities.
“What is interesting is that the persons in charge of cash transport and distribution had removed several notes from each bundle. An average of four notes was removed from each bundle of 100 notes of Rs 2000 denomination. Leakages are found even in this illegal cash distribution,” authorities stated.
Raids in North Karnataka
On the basis of the local intelligence received, the house of a bank employee was raided at Navanagar, Bagalkot. The intelligence suggested that the person was accumulating cash to distribute for election. A seizure of Rs 1 cr has been made so far in this case.
“Both these cases are related to cash distribution during elections,” informed authorities.
