Bengaluru: Feeling the heat over the recent Income Tax raids on Congress leaders and ministers in the state, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has started damage control. Dr G Parameshwara, president of KPCC, has sought an explanation from Small Scale Industries Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and State Mahila Congress president Lakshmi Hebbalkar.
It may be recalled the I-T officials have detected undisclosed assets worth over Rs 162 crore and seized Rs 41 lakh cash, besides over 12 kg of gold and jewellery during the raid conducted on the residences of Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and Lakshmi Hebbalkar.
The I-T officials said the department has also got inputs about a number of benami assets and unexplained investments during the searches at the premises of Small Scale Industries Minister Ramesh L Jarkiholi and Mahila Congress president Laxmi R Hebbalkar in Gokak, Belgaum. The searches followed allegations of tax evasion.
Speaking to reporters here on the undisclosed riches of Congress leaders, the KPCC president said that he has sought a report from minister Jarkiholi and Lakshmi Hebbalkar. Congress leaders including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier accused the Central Government of targeting Congress leaders through IT raids.
