Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], September 10 (ANI): ED continued searches for the second consecutive day at the residence of Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi and locations linked to his family members and associates in Belagavi.
The searches, are reportedly linked to an investigation into alleged illegal foreign investment.
ED officials searched Jarkiholi’s residence in Gokak, where his wife and daughter, MP Priyanka Jarkiholi, were present. Searches were also conducted at the residence of his family member Y Manjunath in Belagavi, and at the house of Girish Sonawalkar, who is reportedly a close associate of the minister. The residence of Jarkiholi’s private secretary Malagouda Patil was also searched as part of the operation.
During the ongoing investigation, ED officials also summoned Jarkiholi’s chartered accountants, Pradeep Kumar Indy and Saidappa Gadadi. Officials reportedly sought financial and accounting details from the auditors and seized a printer and documents during the proceedings.
Meanwhile, District Congress leader Sadanand Danganavar hit out at the BJP over the Enforcement Directorate’s continued searches at the residence of Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi and his associates, alleging a political vendetta and asserting that there was “no way” the Congress government in the state could be destabilised.
Speaking to ANI, Dharwad Congress DCC president Sadanand Danganavar said the ED action was an attempt by the BJP-led Central government to target the Congress leadership.
“Regarding the ED raid which the Enforcement Directorate conducted yesterday on honourable Minister Satish Jarkiholi's house and all his, regarding his relatives' houses and all, this is totally political vendetta. BJP cannot digest the success and the way the Congress ministers as well as the CM is working,” Danganavar said.
“They cannot digest. So Amit Shah and the honourable Prime Minister, in this way, they want to destabilise the government. So they're trying their best to destabilise the government,” he alleged.
Danganavar asserted that the Congress government remained united and was functioning in the interest of Karnataka.
“I’m telling you clearly, that there is no way they can destabilise the Congress government in Karnataka. We are doing very well. Honourable CM and cabinet ministers are working together. They are united and they are doing in the interest of the state,” he said.
Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar described the ED searches as “politically motivated” and accused the BJP of misusing central investigative agencies.
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge also alleged that the ED action was politically motivated, claiming that a large proportion of such raids in recent years had targeted Opposition leaders.
The ED searches and the allegations surrounding them have triggered a political confrontation between the Congress government in Karnataka and the BJP, with the Congress leadership maintaining that the action is politically driven. (ANI)
"No way they can destabilise govt": Congress hits out at BJP as ED continues searches at Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi’s residence
