Search conducted in hotels occupied by Cong, JDS leaders

An election commission squad, along with income tax and enforcement directorate sleuths, Tuesday carried out searches in two hotels at Hubballi where State minister D K Shivakumar and some Congress and JD(S) leaders were staying.

The sleuths seized from the rooms in the hotels gold utensils and other materials allegedly meant for bribing voters.

The raids were carried out in connection with the bypoll in Kundgol seat which fell vacant following the death of sitting MLA C S Shivalli a few months ago.

According to government sources, the squad carried out searches at the two hotels.

While the search in one hotel was wound up soon, the search in the other lasted longer, Congress party sources said.

Karnataka water resource minister D K Shivakumar (Congress) was staying at one of the hotels when the raid took place.

Speaking to PTI, the minister said, The I-T officials had carried out searches in my room as well as in rooms of other congress cadre."