I-T raids ex-K’taka dy CM, Cong calls action ‘mala fide’
BENGALURU: The income tax (I-T) department on Thursday conducted searches at three medical colleges linked to two Congress leaders — former deputy chief minister of Karnataka G Parameshwara and former union minister RL Jalappa — as part of its investigation into alleged sale of government quota seats in these institutes, officials said.
As many as 30 premises, including houses of the two leaders, were searched by the I-T department, the officials said.
Parameshwara’s family runs the Siddhartha Group of Institutions which was established by his father H M Gangadharaiah 58 years ago.
Besides raiding the office, residence and institutions belonging to Parameshwara, the I-T officials also searched the residence of his brother G Shivaprasad and personal assistant Ramesh, persons familiar with the matter said.
Rajendra runs the R L Jalappa Institute of Technology at Doddaballapura and Kolar.
The raids at premises belonging to Parameshwara and others are in connection with a multicrore tax evasion case linked to the NEET exams, officials said.
The department took the action as part of its probe to check alleged irregularities in the conduct of NEET in two medical colleges run by a trust in Tumakuru city in Karnataka.
Parameshwara is stated to be the chairman of the trust identified as Shri Siddhartha Education Trust.
A case of alleged forgery in the NEET exam by impersonation and alleged illegal payments made to secure seats is the trigger for the I-T action, they said.
Searches are also being conducted in Rajasthan to trace some students who impersonated in the exams, they said.
Rushing to Bengaluru after the raids, Parameshwara told reporters here that he has no information why the searches were carried out.
“I have no information why the raids were carried out. They (I-T officials) called me. So rushed to meet them,” he said.
He said his family is not engaged in any business other than running the education institutions and has been filing income tax returns promptly.
Parameshwara also refused to comment on the question whether the raids were politically motivated.
Senior Congress leaders including former chief minister Siddaramaiah and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda condemned the raids.
Siddramaiah tweeted, “The series of IT raids on @DrParameshwara, RL Jalappa & others, are politically motivated with malafide intention.” “They are only targeting @INCKarnataka leaders as they have failed to face us on policy & corruption issues. We won’t budge to any such tactics!!” he added.
The I-T raids come two years after former minister DK Shivakumar of the Congress was raided after he sheltered legislators from Gujarat ahead of crucial Rajya Sabha elections in the western state.
He is currently in jail in connection with a money laundering case being pursued by the Enforcement Directorate.