ACP to probe I-T dept's complaint against Karnataka CM, others

A day after the I-T department sought legal action against Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and some of his cabinet colleagues for allegedly obstructing tax officers from discharging duties, an ACP has been assigned to probe the matter based on the complaint, police said Wednesday.

Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Goa-Karnataka region) B R Balakrishnan had written to the state chief electoral officer, seeking action against the chief minister, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and others for "intimidating" I-T officers and obstructing them from discharging duties during the raids last month.

Police said the assistant commissioner of police (ACP) of Banasawadi sub-division has been assigned to probe the matter based on the complaint by Balakrishnan.

Kumaraswamy, former chief minister Siddaramaiah and host of other state ministers along with their supporters had staged a demonstration near the I-T office on March 28.

They had accused the Centre of using central agencies, such as the Income Tax department, Enforcement Directorate and the CBI, to intimidate the opposition. The protests took place when tax raids were in progress across the state.

Balakrishnan had also demanded that cases be registered against all those who took part in the protests for unlawful assembly, intentional insult, breach of peace, criminal intimidation and threat of injury to public servant under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

In his letter dated April 5, Balakrishnan said, "Reports in the electronic media depict that the protest was led by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, Ministers D K Shivakumar and S R Mahesh, former home minister Ramalinga Reddy, Dinesh Gundu Rao, MLA and KPCC president."