I-T dept accuses HDK, G Param of intimidating officers, seeks legal action

Agencies

April 10, 2019

Bengaluru, Apr 10: The income tax department has written to the Chief Electoral Officer seeking legal action against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and a host of his cabinet colleagues for allegedly intimidating tax officers and obstructing them from discharging duties, sources said Tuesday.

The chief minister, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, and host of other state ministers along with their supporters had staged a demonstration near the income tax office on March 28, accusing the Centre of using central agencies, such and income tax department, enforcement directorate and CBI, to intimidate the opposition. The protests took place when tax raids were in progress across the state.

In his letter, dated April 5, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Goa-Karnataka region) B R Balakrishnan said, "Reports in electronic media depict that the protest was led by chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, Ministers D K Shivakumar and S R Mahesh, former home minister Ramalinga Reddy, Dinesh Gundu Rao, MLA and KPCC president. "

This was followed by specific statements including personal allegations against the director general of income tax by Ministers H D Revanna and C S Puttaraju."

The voluntary and disruptive actions of people holding high offices obstructed public servants from discharging their public functions, wrote Balakrishnan, adding that the protests aimed at derailing the ongoing search proceedings against the contractors and engineers and causing damage to the reputation of the personnel of the department.

Balakrishnan, stated in his letter, that when people holding high public offices including constitutional posts, make false statements and instigate and involve in criminal activities with the purpose of adversely affecting the process of the law and preventing government officials from discharging their duties, such activities and statements criminally intimidate and harm the personnel of the department with greater intensity.

The income tax official demanded cases should be registered against all those who took part in the protests for unlawful assembly, intentional insult, breach of peace, statements conducing to public mischief, criminal intimidation, obstructing public servant from discharging their duties and threat of injury to public servant under IPC sections 143, 504, 505, 506, 186 and 189.

The raids since March 28 fetched unaccounted cash of Rs 8.14 crore and unaccounted jewellery worth Rs 1.69 crore, the department stated in the letter adding that no MLA, MLC or minister was searched in the said proceedings.

A day prior to the raids, the chief minister had expressed his apprehensions that income tax raids on Congress and JD(S) leaders and ministers were in the offing, which he called "the politics of vendetta of the Centre". The raids took place at about 15 to 20 locations, triggering widespread condemnation and protests by the leaders of the ruling coalition.

Minister Puttaraju had claimed that his house in Mandya and his nephew's house in Mysuru were among those raided by the I-T officials. The BJP accused the chief minister of leaking the information about the raids beforehand, thereby violating the oath of secrecy taken at the time of assuming office.

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SIT raids rape accused BJP MLA Munirathna’s residence, 15 other locations

News Network

September 28,2024

Bengaluru, Sep 28: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing charges against arrested Karnataka BJP MLA N. Munirathna Naidu, including allegations of rape, honey-trapping, and other offences, on Saturday conducted raids at his residence and 15 other locations across the city.

Sources confirmed that the raids were taking place at his Vyalikaval residence and other properties owned by the BJP MLA. The operation is being conducted by the SIT under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) led by ACP Kavitha.

The team is examining documents, electronic devices, and other materials related to the rape and honey-trapping case. The SIT is being supported by experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), with Superintendent of Police (SP) Sowmya Latha also participating in the search and inspection at Munirathna’s Vyalikaval residence.

According to sources, the raids were triggered by information provided by the victim, who alleged that Munirathna recorded footage of sexual assaults and used it to blackmail politicians and public servants, including IAS and IPS officers.

The victim reportedly revealed that she was used to entrap the woman who had lodged a rape case against a senior IFS officer. She was allegedly instructed to frame the rape victim in a drug peddling case.

The complainant told police that she was tasked with capturing compromising videos of the rape victim who had filed the case against the IFS officer. She claimed that, after several failed attempts to obtain the videos, the victim was drugged with sleeping pills, and obscene footage was recorded without her consent. Later, the IFS officer was bailed out from the charges.

Furthermore, the complainant has accused MLA Munirathna of raping her at his office within the state legislature, in his official vehicle, and at his godown. She has alleged that he recorded videos of these assaults.

Police sources also revealed that the victim in the MLA's case provided details of a plot involving sending HIV-infected women to Munirathna's targets in an attempt to ruin them politically and personally. She also disclosed the names of several politicians whom she had entrapped through honey-trapping.

The woman further claimed that Munirathna had threatened to have her son kidnapped and killed if she refused to comply with his demands. According to her, the MLA had a well-organised team dedicated to carrying out these honey-trapping operations, and she provided details about his close associates and relatives involved in the scheme.

Munirathna, who was in judicial custody following his arrest in the rape and honey-trap case, has now been taken into the custody of the SIT.

The MLA was transferred from Bengaluru Central Jail to the CID office on the night of September 24. The BJP legislator, however, has denied all the allegations, claiming they are false.

Karnataka Congress leader D.K. Suresh had alleged that Munirathna was trying to infect his adversaries with HIV and that the government should investigate the matter.

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