CBI raids Karnataka Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar house

Bengaluru: Close on the heels of the announcement of dates for by-elections for two assembly seats in Karnataka, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided 14 locations associated with Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar and his brother Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha MP, D.K. Suresh on Monday.

The CBI launched the raids at around 6 a.m. on Monday, and as the news spread, scores of supporters started gathering in front of his house.

The Congress leaders launched scathing attacks on the union government, with party General Secretary Randeeep Singh Surjewala terming it "raid raj" and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah terming it to be an effort by the BJP government at the Centre to derail the Congress party's preparations for the bypolls.

Taking to Twitter, Surjewala charged that "the insidious game of intimidation and machinations of Modi-Yeddyurappa duo being executed by a puppet CBI by raiding @DKShivakumar won't deter them... The CBI should be unearthing the layers of corruption in Yeddyurappa Govt".

He further added "Let Modi and Yeddyurappa governments and BJP's frontal organisations i.e CBI-ED-Income Tax know that Congress workers and leaders will not be cowed down nor bow down before such devious attempts."

"Our resolve to fight for people and expose BJP's maladministration only becomes stronger," Surejewala added.

Last year in September, the Karnataka Congress chief was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, based on a charge sheet filed by the Income Tax Department against him.

He was accused of routing unaccounted money through hawala channels with the help of others. Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Shivakumar was charged with tax evasion and 'hawala' transactions worth crores of rupees.