Money recovered from an I-T raid in Bengluru.
Credit: DH Photo
The Opposition parties on Friday latched on to the cash seized during the I-T raids in Karnataka at the house of BBMP Contractors’ Association president Ambikapathi, alleging that the Congress was caught “red-handed.”
BJP and JD(S) leaders alleged that the Congress was funnelling money for Assembly elections in neighbouring states.
Former minister and BJP leader C T Ravi said Ambikapathi, who was at the forefront of the 40 per cent commission allegations against the previous BJP government, was close to several Congress leaders.
“The government recently released more than Rs 600 crore towards pending bills for works taken up under the BBMP limits. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar must answer where the Rs 42 crore seized from his (contractor’s) house came from,” he sought to know.
Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal alleged that Karnataka had become an “ATM” for Congress to loot money.
Taking to social media platform X, Yatnal said the government recently released Rs 650 crore for pending bills under BBMP but no one knew which contractors received the grants. “What is the amount of percentage fixed? Why was the accused trying to transport this money to Tamil Nadu and Telangana?,” he sought to know.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy connected it to elections declared in neighbouring states. “As soon as the elections were declared in five states the huge sum was found in the state. Whom does that money belong to? How was that money collected? What was the percentage? Who is behind it? These questions need to be answered,” he demanded.