Bengaluru: Officials of the Income Tax and Excise department jointly carried out raids at the residence of Congress candidate from Ranebennur assembly segment K B Koliwad, drawing the ire of the party workers.

The searches took place on Tuesday night at the Ranebennur residence of the former Assembly Speaker, following complaints of hoarding of liquor and cash, officials said.

"Following a complaint about the hoarding of liquor and a cash of Rs 10 crore, we raided the place. We didn't find anything," Haveri Excise chief, Nagashayan told reporters.

The raids come in the run-up to assembly bypolls in 15 segments in Karnataka following the disqualification of the MLAs from Congress and the JD(S) which led to the toppling of the coalition government and installation of the BJP government led by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

Reacting to the raids, Koliwad said, "They (sleuths) came to our house but found nothing and returned empty handed."

Talking to reporters, he said ever since the BJP came to power, it has been pursuing the politics of vendetta and many Congress leaders such as P Chidambaram and D K Shivakumar faced the action.

The raids drew the ire of Congress workers who staged a protest in front of the vehicle in which the taxmen had arrived.

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Jehanabad/Arwal (PTI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday launched several development projects and schemes valued at around Rs 405 crore in Jehanabad and Arwal districts during his ‘Samridhi Yatra’.

Of the programmes, Jehanabad received programmes worth Rs 252 crore and Arwal govt projects valued at Rs 153 crore, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

Kumar also reviewed ongoing schemes and development projects in both districts.

“The CM launched development projects/schemes worth Rs 252 crore in Jehanabad district. These included the inauguration of 88 programmes costing Rs 70 crore and laying the foundation stones for 73 others worth Rs 182 crore,” the statement said.

Kumar inaugurated a stitching training-cum-production centre for Jeevika Didis at the old block office premises in Jehanabad.

The state government, through the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS), an autonomous body under the Department of Rural Development, is spearheading a World Bank-aided rural livelihoods project with the objective of social and economic empowerment of the poor. Women associated with the project are called Jeevika Didis.

Encouraging Jeevika Didis associated with the centre, the CM said, “The government is providing all possible facilities. We are making every effort to promote self-employment among you.”

Later in the day, Kumar launched 272 development projects/schemes worth around Rs 153 crore in Arwal district. These included the inauguration of 250 programmes valued at Rs 90 crore and laying the foundation stones for 22 projects worth Rs 63 crore, said the statement.

The CM also inaugurated and inspected the upgradation work carried out at the government’s higher secondary school at Itwan. During the inspection, he reviewed the astronomy laboratory and smart learning hub at the school.

The chief minister directed officials to complete the work of all ongoing projects on time. He also reviewed the land identified for the Government Medical College and Hospital at Belkhara.