Income Tax, election officials recover Rs 18 crore from accountant’s house in Dharwad

DARWAD: Income Tax (I-T) officials seized Rs 18 crore during a raid from the house of U B Shetty’s accountant Basavaraja Dutunavar at Aarna Residency near Dasanakoppa Circle here. The seized money was later deposited at State Bank of India (SBI) Keshwapur branch in Hubballi.

On Tuesday night, Election Vigilance Squad officials raided the house of Basavaraja Duttunavar on suspicion of hoarding liquor. But, the officials were shocked when they found Rs 18 crore in cash in the house during the raid. The election officials then called in the Income Tax Department.

About 20 officers conducted the raid at the house of Duttunavar through the night and Rs 18 crore has been recovered in 18 bags. All the cash was shifted to the SBI branch at Keshwapur in Hubballi amid tight police security.

The I-T officials also raided Shetty’s office after Basavaraja Duttunavar claimed that he was UB Shetty’s accountant. As of 2 pm today, the officials had sent 18 bags to of cash to the bank with two police escort vehicles. It is alleged that that the money was meant to be distributed to voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.