Live
- BJP releases ‘charge sheet’ against BJD govt
- District Nodal Officer Venkataramana announced the intermediate results
- She team that stopped child marriages
- Medical devices sector needs separate rules, says industry body AiMeD
- Andhra Paper declares lockout
- Opposition INDIA bloc working on 'one year, one PM' formula: PM Modi
- Delhi HC quashes FIR for outraging woman's modesty, orders man to assist Traffic Police for a month as settlement
- 'Apologise to families of farmers who committed suicide in Vidarbha', Amit Shah dares Sharad Pawar
- SC Collegium recommends appointment of a permanent judge in Chhattisgarh HC, extension of term of two judges
- U20 Men's football nationals: Telangana, Sikkim earn full points with easy win
Congress condemn ED raids on former minister Zameer
Congress condemn ED raids on former minister Zameer
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar criticized the raids conducted by the Income Tax Department (IT) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the residence and offices of Congress legislator Z A Zameer Ahmed Khan in a connection with two-year-old multi-crore IMA scam.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar criticized the raids conducted by the Income Tax Department (IT) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the residence and offices of Congress legislator Z A Zameer Ahmed Khan in a connection with two-year-old multi-crore IMA scam. He alleged that Central agencies did nothing when BJP leaders spent crores of rupees to topple the JDS-Congress coalition government under the ruling party's infamous 'Operation Kamala'.
Addressing the media on Thursday, he asked why the Central agencies remained silent when BJP leaders spent crores of rupees to topple governments and wondered if the activities of BJP leaders were unblemished. "I strongly condemn the politically motivated raids by the Central agencies on Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed,'' Shivakumar said.
The KPCC chief claimed that IT and ED authorities had served notice on Zameer Ahmed in the IMA scam two years ago and the latter had answered all their queries. "Zameer Ahmed has himself informed me that he had replied with clear answers. But still this has happened, So it is clear that IT and ED officers are harassing people,'' Shivakumar said and wanted to know the purpose behind the raids at this point of time.
Shivakumar mentioned that former minister Srinivas Gowda had alleged on the floor of the State Assembly that BJP leaders C P Yogeshwar and Ashwathnarayan had tried to entice him by offering Rs 30 crore as part of the 'Operation Kamala' and had even left Rs 5 crore in his residence.
"Also there are statements openly recorded like Ramesh Jarkiholi had alleged that C P Yogeshwar had sold his house for Rs 9 crore and spent the money to bring down the H D Kumaraswamy-led Congress-JD(S) coalition government. When this is in public record, what were the Central agencies doing? Did they raid or at least interrogate any of the leaders? Is there a different law for Congress and BJP leaders,'' Shivakumar said and blasted the Central agencies for digging up the IMA scam to harass Zameer Ahmed.
"Let them investigate and act as per law. But when a person has already answered all the questions two years ago, what is the need for raids now?'' he asked. Quoting the example of former minister and 7-time Congress MLA Roshan Baig, the KPCC chief wanted to know whether there is a clear pattern to target persons belonging to a particular community. Shivakumar's brother and Bengaluru Rural MP D K Suresh also criticised the 'politically motivated' raids on Zameer Ahmed's residence and offices Roshan Baig was arrested last year by CBI in connection with the Rs 4,000-crore IMA investment (Ponzi) scam.
