Amidst poll-preparations, IT raids several contractors across Karnataka

Agencies

April 24, 2018

Bengaluru, Apr 24: The Income Tax Department on Tuesday conducted searches on a number of contractors in poll-bound Karnataka in connection with a tax evasion probe, officials said.

They said the raids are being conducted against at least 11 contractors in Mysuru and Bengaluru by the investigation wing of the department.

These contractors are linked to public works jobs rendered by them on government tenders, they said.

The department had last week said, has that it has “gathered details of all contract payments made in the last quarter of the completed financial year in the state and is making a comparison with previous years for identifying abnormal cases.”

This data is being co-related with all bank transactions and available cash withdrawal intelligence, it had said.

It had said that as part of the enhanced alertness in the wake of the single-phase polling scheduled on May 12, the investigation wing of the department in Karnataka and Goa has “stepped up its surveillance and monitoring activities”.

In an instance unearthed recently, the department claimed a contractor in one of the districts of the state was searched and it was found that “he had made payments to another person who in turn had withdrawn cash from the amount transferred”.

“The cash withdrawn of Rs 55 lakh was seized and the contractor also admitted to concealment of Rs 16 crore,” it had said.

The counting of the votes for the 224-member Assembly is scheduled on May 15.

The EC has appointed a number of election expenditure observers in Karnataka, apart from other central observers, to keep a check on black money and illegal inducements used to bribe voters.

It had said that Rs 2,000 and 500 notes constitute 97 percent of the Rs 4.13 crore cash that the tax sleuths have seized in poll-bound Karnataka till now.

The revelation came in the backdrop of a cash crunch being witnessed across various regions in the country as a number of ATMs had gone dry.

Also Read: Siddaramaiah accuses Modi govt of misusing I-T department in poll-bound Karnataka

Comments

Feku using his power against cong ruling states.

Modi ji started his work

Great doing Modi ji. See Modi ji seizing black money

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Siddaramaiah's camp on alert as Karnataka Congress leadership rift escalates

News Network

November 27,2025

Bengaluru, Nov 27: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s camp is reportedly on alert as the Congress leadership tussle in the state intensifies, particularly amid speculation over the potential promotion of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Siddaramaiah is said to be in a “wait-and-watch” mode after admitting to “confusion” earlier this week and urging the party to “put a full stop” to it.

Sources say his supporters are ready to act if senior leaders — including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi — give any indication of backing Shivakumar. If the party insists on a leadership change, Siddaramaiah’s camp has a list of alternatives, underscoring the deep rift between the two leaders. One possible candidate is Home Minister G. Parameshwara, a Siddaramaiah loyalist and influential Dalit leader.

The strategy was reportedly finalized at a meeting led by PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, another Siddaramaiah supporter, who stressed that Delhi leaders need to resolve the issue. Kharge and the Gandhis are expected to meet soon, after which Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar may be summoned to Delhi.

Shivakumar has largely stayed non-confrontational, publicly endorsing Siddaramaiah and downplaying speculation about his own ambitions. However, he has made pointed comments emphasizing the importance of honoring promises, directed at Siddaramaiah.

The feud traces back to the 2023 state election, when Siddaramaiah was chosen as Chief Minister while Shivakumar, who led the party’s campaign, was made Deputy CM and state party chief — a departure from the Congress’ usual “one post per person” rule.

There were also hints of a prior understanding that Siddaramaiah would step down midway through the term. As the halfway mark passed last week, Shivakumar-aligned lawmakers have ramped up pressure on the party for a leadership change, with Shivakumar himself hinting at stepping down as state party chief to pursue the top job.

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