Bengaluru: A day after the Directorate General of Income Tax (Investigation), Karnataka & Goa issued summons to Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar, he appeared before the IT sleuths on Monday at around 12.30pm. The minister was grilled for close to three hours Shivakumar, who appeared along with his brother and Bengaluru Rural MP D K Suresh, said officials could summon him again, whenever required.
“The Income Tax authorities have every right to summon and question any assesse, businessman or individual. I have come here several times earlier also. They had asked me to appear anytime after 11 am, so I have come here,” he said.
He added that the IT officials discussed his earlier statement, treated him "very respectfully". "They are guiding me for my good," said Shivakumar.
He added that the officials did not ask him to come tomorrow or the day after but would inform him whenever his presence was required.
In a raid that has stirred a political controversy, the IT department, on August 2, began raiding various properties linked to Shivakumar, who hosted 44 Gujarat Congress MLAs at a resort on the city outskirts, to thwart the "poaching" attempts by the BJP ahead of Tuesday's Rajya Sabha polls. Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, is a contestant in the election to the Upper House of Parliament from Gujarat.
Astrologer Dwaraka nath and MLC S. Ravi, considered close to the minister, also appeared before the IT officials for questioning Monday.
During IT raids at some 66 places across the country, officials said they had seized cash and jewellery, worth over Rs 15 crore.
