Fresh trouble for DK Shivakumar: 4th tax evasion case filed by Income Tax Department

Shivakumar is currently out on bail in connection with previous three tax evasion cases.
Fresh trouble for DK Shivakumar: 4th tax evasion case filed by Income Tax Department
Fresh trouble for DK Shivakumar: 4th tax evasion case filed by Income Tax Department
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In what seems to be fresh trouble for Karnataka Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar, the Income Tax Department has filed another case related to disproportionate income. The case is connected with the raids carried out on Shivakumar since August 2017.

This will be the fourth such case related to Shivakumar that will be heard by the Special Economic Offenses Wing Court in Bengaluru. Shivakumar is currently out on bail in connection with previous three tax evasion cases.

Shivakumar has reportedly been charged under Section 276C(1) (willful tax evasion) and Section 277 (false statement in verification) of the Income Tax Act. The maximum punishment for both the sections is three and seven years imprisonment respectively. There has been no official statement from the I-T department regarding the same.

The case was reportedly filed in connection with Rs 4.03 lakh seized from one of the apartments owned by Shivakumar in Safdarjung, New Delhi, which Shivakumar reportedly claimed was agricultural income. In addition, there were separate seizures of Rs 1,00,37,500 and Rs 4,13,600 from a flat in the Karnataka State Employees Quarters.

The Congress leader also allegedly transferred some unaccounted money to the account of the All India Congress Committee.

I-T officials have also reportedly found a diary in which the transactions were recorded and lakhs of rupees were referred as kgs.

On Wednesday, Shivakumar said: “I have not done anything wrong. I am a law-abiding citizen. I am being targeted deliberately. I am not scared of anyone. I respect the court and the law and I will abide by it.”

“Even I have several diaries with several names in it. I will speak more about this when the time is right. When the time comes, I will make these diaries public. I have not received any summons or notices from the court. I don’t know what pressure is being put on the Income Tax Department officials,” he added.

He further alleged again, that he was pressured by the BJP to quit the Congress.

“My friends from the BJP are asking me to resign and I will answer to them when the time is right. Since the case is in the court, I will give all my answers in court. It is not just me they are targeting, they are harassing my friends and family as well,” Shivakumar said.

Meanwhile, Deputy CM G Parameshwara has accused the BJP of misusing central agencies against the Shivakumar.

CM Kumaraswamy also ruled out the possibility of Shivakumar resigning from his post. Addressing reporters, the CM said, “There is nothing to worry about or give so much importance to this issue. I cannot ask Minister DK Shivakumar to resign just because the BJP is demanding his resignation."

Sources in the JD(S) said that the party supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda has advised CM Kumaraswamy to remain neutral.

The previous cases were filed after the I-T department had raided Shivakumar at the Eagleton Resort in Bidadi and allegedly found Rs 8.5 crore in cash with him in August 2017.

Following that, for the next two months, properties connected to him across the country were raided by I-T officials.

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