Bengaluru: Energy minister, D.K. Shivakumar, who endured raids and intense questioning by officers of the Income Tax department for more than 70 hours, broke his silence to thank the Congress leadership as well as people for their support, but vowed to comment on the raids only after receiving a detailed Panchanama from the authorities concerned.
Mr Shivakumar who met the media at his residence in Sadashiva Nagar, confirmed that IT officers had completed investigation and returned to their office. "I do not want to speak anything about this issue now. The officials have prepared an inquest. I will react after verifying a copy of the inquest of documents prepared by income tax officials, and after the same is handed over to me," he added.
The minister said he was well aware of the embarrassment caused to the ruling party and its leaders in the aftermath of the raids. “I profusely thank party workers and leaders for supporting me during this crisis. I have never violated laws and the Constitution. Henceforth, when I speak, I will speak with supporting documents. I will provide clarifications for every query raised against me," he added.
Tenders apology
A day after his mother Gowramma’s embarrassing remarks against CM Siddaramaiah, minister D.K. Shivakumar apologized to the leader saying his mother was not aware of the fact that the IT department comes under the Centre.
In a statement, he said: “I’m tendering public apology to the CM. My mother is not educated; she is someone who is not aware of as to under whom the IT department comes. At a time when she was under stress, certain sections of the media by misusing her innocence, instigated her to make comments against the CM. I convey my gratitude to the CM, party leaders, workers and well-wishers for the concern expressed towards me and my family at the time of crisis.”
While speaking to a TV channel, Mr Shivakumar's mother Gowramma had accused the CM of “betraying” her son. She had said: “He (Siddaramaiah) has come up (in politics) because of my son, today he has malice against him, but we can’t say anything as polls are fast approaching. Let him and BJP wait and watch.”
