‘Explain discrepancy of Rs 50.22 lakh’: DK Shivakumar, his brother ask CBI

The Karnataka Congress chief has alleged that CBI actions against him were driven by political vendetta.

The Karnataka pradesh congress committee president D K Shivakumar and his younger brother D K Suresh, who represents Bengaluru Rural constituency in Parliament, have disputed the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) claim that Rs 57 lakh in cash was seized during raids on 14 locations linked to Shivakumar and others across the country on Monday.

KPCC president D K Shivakumar with his brother and Congress MP D K Suresh addressing supporters in front of his residence. (ANI photo)

CBI in a statement on Monday evening had said that “Searches were conducted today at 14 locations including Karnataka, Delhi, Mumbai at the premises of said MLA and others which led to recovery of cash of Rs 57 lakh (approx) and several incriminating documents including property documents, bank related information, computer hard disk etc...Investigation is continuing.”

However, Shivakumar speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru said that CBI had seized Rs 1.5 lakh in cash from the Delhi residence of his brother D K Suresh, Rs 1.77 lakh from his residence in Sadashivanagar, Rs 3.5 lakh from his home office as well as Rs 50,000 from Sachin Narayan (a business associate) from his Hassan residence.

“When I asked my mother, she said nothing had been taken from our Ramnagara residence. Even Davanam builders (business associates) said that only some papers were taken. I am even ready to release the panchnama,” Shivakumar said. A panchnama is an inventory of all seized assets and documents.

Hitting out at Union parliamentary minister Prahlad Joshi, who has asked the brothers to release the details of the assets they held before entering politics and the assets gained after entering politics, Shivakumar said “Before asking that of us, let him do so for leaders in his own party.”

Asserting that the raids were politically motivated, Shivakumar claimed, “When the preliminary enquiry was conducted, FIR filed? When did I become party chief? All this will clearly indicate political vendetta.”

Meanwhile, his brother D K Suresh who said that he had gone into self-quarantine after testing Covid positive on Tuesday, also hit out at the CBI, saying, the agency has to explain the discrepancy of Rs 50.22 lakh in the claim it has made. In a series of tweets, he said that while they are ready to cooperate with the authorities and furnish any documents sought, the CBI should explain the discrepancy in the claim made.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Congress has announced holding a state-wide farmers’ meet on October 10 to protest against the recent farm bills passed by both the Centre and the state. The event, originally scheduled in Davangere, has now been shifted to Mandya due to the election code of conduct in force for the bypolls at the earlier venue.