IT raids across country being conducted with political motive: Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said that the IT raids across the country are being conducted with political motive.

Speaking to reporters on series of IT raids in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said that no IT raid will take place without a political motive. “Not only in our state, but the IT raids are being conducted with a political motive in other states as well,” he said.

When asked about the allegation made by former deputy chief minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan that money is sent for the assembly elections of five states from Bengaluru, Shivakumar said that he would not like to comment on the remarks made by the passersby.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that he does not have knowledge about money being collected allegedly from contractors after clearing their dues is seized from Ambikapathy by IT sleuths in Bengaluru.

He said that the contractors need not be concerned about pending bills. "We will give them justice. Kempanna, the President of State Contractor's Association, should not be worried. As per his request, 60 to 70 per cent of payments of works have been cleared before the probe in this regard was completed," he stated.

Kempanna who had alleged that 40 per cent commission charges against the previous BJP government had pleaded that the situation of contractors become worse than the farmers who are committing suicide due to drought in the state due to pending of bills.