Bangalore: The Congress trouble-shooter who had foiled the BJP's Karnataka ambitions by shielding Congress and Janata Dal Secular MLAs from poaching has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah of misusing central agencies to target him, his brother and their "associates".
"It was very unfortunate to hear yesterday from a top source that the CBI had taken permission to raid 11 of us, including our associates," D.K. Shivakumar, an MLA, told a hurriedly called news conference on Thursday morning, his brother and Congress MP D.K. Suresh by his side.
The brothers, who are in real estate, would not elaborate on who the associates are.
Shortly after the news conference, news arrived about CBI raids on five premises in Karnataka, including an "election cell" - a taluka-level office of the state election commission - in Shivakumar's Assembly constituency of Kanakapura. But the agency statement on the raids made no mention of the brothers.
The CBI statement confirmed that "searches" were on at five places as part of an investigation into an allegedly illegal exchange of demonetised currency soon after the November 2016 note withdrawal.
"B. Prakash, chief manager (of Corporation Bank) in connivance with unknown others has illegally exchanged Rs 10 lakh of SBNs (specified bank notes) with new currency on 14.11.16 and tried to cover up this act by fabricating the requisition slips," it said.
"Searches are being conducted at five places in Bangalore, Kanakapura, Ramanagara which includes an Election Cell, Kanakapura, and an office at Ramanagara and three residences of the Election Cell in charge Nanjappa and one Padmanabhaiah PA. Padmanabhaiah had allegedly exchanged the SBN notes in the bank."
When Shivakumar met reporters briefly in the afternoon, he did not clarify whether he had any connections with those named by the CBI.
Later in the evening, he told reporters: "I'm told that they (the agency sleuths) went to the taluka office and sought information on me and Suresh."
He did not explain whether he was referring to the taluka-level election office in Kanakapura.
Shivakumar, one of the most influential politicians in the state, is widely credited with keeping the Congress and JDS flock together after a fractured Assembly poll verdict on May 15.
He sequestered the MLAs in hotels and resorts in Bangalore and Hyderabad, thwarting the BJP's alleged efforts at poaching and causing the B.S. Yeddyurappa government to quit before a floor test.
At the news conference, Shivakumar said nothing would deter him from carrying out his duties as a party worker. "We are ready to face any kind of difficulty - court cases, or anything you can do. But the DK brothers will not bow before such threats," he said.
Shivakumar and Suresh accused Modi and Shah of planning raids on them.
"They have given clear instructions to the CBI, income-tax and Enforcement Directorate officials and want to slap cases on 11 people, including me and my brother," Suresh said.
"They had targeted us even in the past and harassed us with raids. They are just repeating that old tactic," Shivakumar said.
The brothers' properties faced tax raids last August days after they had quarantined 41 Congress MLAs from Gujarat ahead of a crucial Rajya Sabha election in the western state, which their party eventually scraped through.
The Congress on Thursday stood by the brothers. "The party will stand with them as the Centre is misusing its agencies to harass the Opposition," deputy chief minister G. Parameshwara, who is also state Congress president, said.
The Modi government has earlier been accused of using the central investigative agencies to harass Opposition politicians such as Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad and Trinamul ministers and lawmakers.
