Troubles again for Shivakumar as CBI probes disproportionate assets

BENGALURU: With the Assembly election approaching, troubles seem to be mounting for Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which conducted raids on educational institutions run by him and his daughter, and has already detected disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 75 crore, could well file an FIR ahead of the election as the value of disproportionate assets could even double.

The Assembly elections in the state are expected to be held in April-May and it is expected that the CBI may file its chargesheet by February-end.

The central agency has also issued a notice to the complainant in the Benniganahalli land denotification case, T J Abraham seeking information about the complaint he had lodged with the Lokayukta. Abraham has been asked to present himself before the agency with all the relevant documents at 4 pm on Thursday.

The Lokayukta police had already registered an FIR in the land denotification case, but Abraham suffered a setback as he could not produce all the documents.

The CBI had raided Global Academy of Technology on Monday.

The ongoing investigation may also put the brakes on the bus yatra planned by Shivakumar along with Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah. The former CM and his team had earlier planned the bus yatra, but after the high command intervened, it was decided that both leaders will go together. In the event Shivakumar cannot make it, Siddaramaiah will be left to undertake the bus yatra by himself.

During the launch of the Mekedatu padayatra, Shivakumar was absent when the leaders visited the Adichunchanagiri Mutt. During the Karnataka leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra too, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued notice to him to present himself before it.

While the Congress has claimed that the CBI investigation is politics of revenge, the ruling BJP has maintained that the central agencies are only doing their job.