I-T raids Yediyurappa's former PA, associates

Bengaluru: Income Tax officials raided the premises of former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa's aide Umesh and others, at over 30 locations in Bengaluru and other places in the State.

The raids were conducted since 5 am. Umesh was a KSRTC bus driver before coming in contact with Yediyurappa years ago when he was opposition leader. Umesh served as personal secretary of Yediyurappa for some time.

Sources said that the action came on information obtained from an insider of the State Irrigation Department about amassing of wealth by the accused persons by evading taxes and other means.

Sources said that IT officers are probing into major discrepancies in the schemes implemented in the Yediyurappa government by the Irrigation department, with thousands of crores said to have changed hands as kickbacks in the process.

I-T officials raided the houses and offices of several contractors, chartered accountants and businessmen also in Hegde Nagar, Sahakar Nagar and several other places. The CA of irrigation department Amala's residence at Hegde Nagar in Bengaluru was also raided. They allegedly found a money counting machine at her Royal Manor apartment. The IT officials are yet to make any formal statement in this connection.

As per the sources, several contractors who were raided are said to be close to Yediyurappa. The biggest name targeted by the I-T sleuths is Umesh, who was the personal secretary of BSY when he was chief minister.

According to sources, the IT officials are looking into Umesh's involvement in allegedly fixing of contracts for Cauvery Irrigation Corporation and Krishna Irrigation Corporation (State-owned subsidiaries handling irrigation projects), though they made it clear that this was a routine raid. There is a speculation in political circles that raids were conducted to send out a strong message to the former CM. Speaking to media on the IT raids in Bengaluru, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said, "The law will take its own course. I got to know about the raid through media. I would not like react to this. As always, law will take its own course. The Income Tax department can raid anyone. They don't listen to anyone. What is there to welcome and condemn it."

It is said that Umesh had recently constructed a house at Ramaiah layout, which is close to the place where Yeddyurappa lives.

Umesh before becoming a PA to Yeddyurappa was a personal assistant to senior BJP leader Ayunur Manjunath. Later, he worked as a PA to Yeddyurappa's son BY Raghavendra and also known to be close to BY Vijayendra and Yeddyurappa's family.