Hubballi: Welcoming the income tax raids on Energy Minister D K Shivakumar as right step in the right direction, the National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR), the Jan Sangram Parishat (JSP) and the Samaj Parivartan Samudaya (SPS) have demanded a Special Investigation Team-monitored probe into the financial irregularities of Shivakumar and his associates.
Speaking to media in Hubballi, NCPNR President S R Hiremath said that at a time when there were allegations of political motivation, only a SIT-monitored probe involving all Central agencies CBI, ED, CVC among others would go on in a proper manner.
Supreme Court judges M B Shah and Arijit Pasayat are chairman and vice chairman of SIT which was constituted by the union government in 2014 based on a July 4, 2011 order of the same court.
Hiremath said that on October 1, 2014 SPS and NCPNR had sent memoranda to the prime minister, the governor, the chief minister and the Lokayukta and KPCC President G Parameshwara, on the corrupt practices by Shivakumar seeking criminal investigation and prosecution.
In 2014, Hiremath and his team had exposed alleged illegalities of Shivakumar and his family members. They had alleged that Shivakumar had, through his mining company, Victory Exports, and other shell companies, caused loss to the state exchequer by procuring iron ore at a throwaway price through the state-owned Mysore Minerals Limited (MML).
They had also submitted documents pertaining to the illegalities related to Vyalikaval House Building Cooperative Society that reportedly had connections with Shivakumar.
Though all such documents were submitted to the then governor, nothing was done except an assurance of initiating action, he added.
