It was a big shocker for two top senior congress leader,Dr G Parameshwara and RL Jalappa when income tax officers conducted raids in his residence,colleges  and the hospital owned by them. Income Tax department official have  conducted search and seizure operations at Siddhartha Group of Institutions owned by senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara in Tumakuru. The income tax department is at it again in Karnataka. Former Deputy Chief Minister Dr.G.Parameshwara woke up to a rude shock on thursday morning. It is said 300 I-T officials conducted raids at 30 different properties and premises of Parameshwara. Taxmen conducted raids across Bengaluru, Tumakuru,Koratagere, Nelamangala, Doddabalapura, and Kolar.

The I-T department laid a seige on Siddhartha group of institutions owned by Dr.G.Parameshwara. Medical colleges are under I-T scanner for allegedly charging exorbitant money for medical seats. I-T officials had led their eyes on medical colleges owned by Siddhartha group of institutions. Every educational institution owned by Siddartha group of institutions raided by the I-T department. I-T officials have scrutinized documents on seat allotments in medical colleges. Siddhartha group of institutions have their presence in Australia as well as Malaysia. Dr.G.Parameshwara’s Siddhartha group of institution is estimated to be valued at Rs.5000 Crores.

The I-T raids have evoked sharp reaction from congress leaders. The timing of I-T raids on Dr.G. Parameshwara has raised lots of suspicion. It is alleged that central government is targeting Congress leaders as the elections are approaching. The I-T officials also conducted raids on former union minister RL Jalappa’s hospital in Kolar. A four-member team of IT officials also conducted searches at Sri Siddhartha Institute of Technology and Sri Siddhartha First Grade College in Tumakuru. The officials are said to be from Bengaluru I-T cell. Sources said raids were also on at a group of educational institutions owned by senior Congress leader R.L.Jalappa in Kolar. Sources in I-T deparment said that the individuals were not targets of the search and seizure operations but these operations were against the educational institutions based on specific information.

The raids come hours before the Karnataka Legislative Assembly is set to convene for a three-day session on Thursday.As opposition Congress has alleged “politics of vendetta,” the session is expected to be stormy. “I have come to know that Siddhartha Group is being raided. Let I-T take any action if they find anything illegal. But we will answer to this if this is politically motivated,” said Dr. Parameshwara. Congress cries political vendetta and political witch-hunt raid by I-T department. Eshwar Khandre,KPCC,Working president,told media persons,BJP is misusing their power by conducting raids on Deputy CM,Dr G Parameshwara’s residence,medical and engineering institutions.These I-T raids are conducted to pressurize and suppress the self esteem of the opposition leaders he added.

Ramesh Kumar,former speaker,told media persons,If income tax raids are conducted according the whims and fancies of the BJP,people would lose trust in the I-T department this is very dangerous for the country and our democracy he added. Siddaramaiah former chief minister told media persons,Congress leaders in Karnataka have been targeted time and again and these IT raids have been carried out deliberately.During the elections they had targeted the congress leaders in the same way by misusing the IT department this is political vendetta.He even said by tweeting,the series of IT raids on @Drparameshwara,RL Jalappa and others are politically motivated with malafide intention they are only targeting @inckarnataka leaders as they have failed to face us on policy and corruption issues he tweeted.

Mallikarjun Kharge,Former MP, told media persons that,Congress leaders are being targeted even though they pay taxes to the IT department they should follow the procedure by issuing notices to them before raiding the premises he added. HD Kumaraswamy,former Chief Minister of karnataka,told media persons that,IT departments are established to conduct raids on those who haven’t paid taxes or posses illegal properties.Nowadays central government is misusing the IT department to conduct raids on particular leaders,The central government is using the IT department to silence the opposition and scare them we condemn the use of IT by the central government for vested interests he added. Ramalinga Reddy,Former Minister,told media persons that,IT raids have become normal in this country they are now conducting raids to upcoming elections he added. BJP denies any involvement.

KS Eshwarappa,BJP leader told media persons that,Will it be right for us to say that congress was responsible for all the IT raids that happened in the residence of BJP leaders? We cannot politicise IT department be it IT, CBI, ED or ACB these are neutral institutions it is not right for siddaramaiah to politicise the issue he added. About Rs 5 crore cash has been seized till now from various premises that were searched, they said. Around 30 places in Bengaluru and Tumakuru linked to the senior Congress leader and his associates were raided on Thursday.The tax sleuths said they are continuing with the searches at 25 locations on Friday as well.