IT sleuths search apartment belonging to Karnataka minister C S Puttaraju
Bengaluru, Apr 11: Karnataka Minor Irrigation minister C S Puttaraju Thursday said Income Tax sleuths have carried out fresh searches at an apartment belonging to him at Mysuru.
The minister is in charge of Mandya district and is overseeing election preparations of chief minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is contesting his maiden election from Mandya.
The minister said income tax sleuths reached the fifth floor of Sankalp Central Park apartment and stayed there for two hours.
Later, they handed over a notice to the cook, he told a TV channel.
On March 28, the income tax department carried out raids at multiple locations in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya, Ramanagara, Shimoga and Hassan triggering a strong reaction from chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and Congress leaders who accused the Centre of promoting politics of vendetta.
Kumaraswamy had even called the I-T officers as the agents of BJP and led a protest by the ruling Congress-JDS coalition in front of the IT department office here.
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Mamata alleges BJP disrupted her Bhabanipur rally, Suvendu claims 'she's nervous'
Kolkata (PTI): Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cut short her speech at a rally in her Bhabanipur constituency, alleging that the BJP was deliberately playing loud music from a nearby public meeting.
A peeved Banerjee said despite having the required permission of the Election Commission, her rally in Chakraberia was disrupted by the BJP, "who want to capture Bengal by intimidation and threat".
"It is not possible for me to go ahead with this meeting. If they can do such a thing in my constituency, imagine how undemocratic the BJP is. If they behave like this, I have to take legal action," she said.
"This is an insult, humiliation. BJP is stepping on our toes to instigate trouble. Not possible to address the gathering in this situation. I am leaving the stage. Please vote for me in your protest," she added.
Banerjee was then seen calling someone over and venting her grievances.
Before leaving the stage, she said, "I will hold a rally tomorrow at the same spot."
TMC supporters then rushed towards the BJP rally, which was later addressed by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, but security personnel intervened and prevented the situation from escalating.
TMC workers later staged a demonstration outside the local police station and filed a complaint, alleging that the BJP violated the model code of conduct.
A senior TMC leader said another complaint will also be lodged with the Election Commission.
Asked about Banerjee's allegations, Adhikari told reporters after the rally he held nearby, "Her reaction shows she is nervous about the imminent loss."
"There was no violence, no obstruction in her meeting and her behaviour shows her nervousness. On May 4, people of Bhabanipur will celebrate the victory of the BJP," he claimed, alleging that the TMC also tried to disrupt his meeting by playing loud music.
South Kolkata's Bhabanipur, one of the battleground seats in the West Bengal elections, will vote in the second phase on April 29.
