A team of Income Tax (I-T) officials searched the premises of relatives and associates of JD(S) MLA Devanand Chavan at Tamba village in Indi taluk on Saturday. Sunita Chavan, wife of the MLA, is the JD(S) candidate for Vijayapura Lok Sabha seat.
The raid comes at a time when the coalition partners have accused the BJP of using the I-T Department to target political opponents.
According to reports, the searches were conducted on the premises of Ramachandra Dodmani and Devendra Taddewadi. Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda were in the district till Saturday morning to campaign for Ms. Chavan.
An official with the I-T Department, Karnataka-Goa, said over ₹4.5 crore in cash was seized, including ₹10 lakh in Vijayapura.
Condemning the searches, Mr. Chavan said the BJP, which feared defeat, was behind it. He wondered why I-T officials seemed to find only JD(S) and Congress leaders.
He said people would give a fitting reply in the election to the BJP’s “political vendetta.”
Searches in Bhadravati
I-T officials said the vehicle of a cash handler, who was travelling from Bengaluru towards Shivamogga, was searched. A sum of over ₹2.3 crore, in ₹2,000 denomination, was found in the car.
Searches were also reportedly conducted on the premises of DCC bank officials in Bagalkot. The officials are said to be close to Vijayapura DCC bank president and Bagalkot district in-charge Minister Shivanand Patil.