Income Tax raids Congress leaders in Belagavi

Bengaluru: Congress bigwigs in Belagavi came under the Income-Tax scanner on Thursday with department officials raiding  members of the powerful family of politicians and sugar barons - minister for small scale industries, Ramesh Jarkiholi and his brother Lakhan Jarkiholi and  Lakshmi Hebbalkar, president of Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress.

The officials cracked down on the Jarkiholis and their associates – S.D. Mullah, official with Cauvery Neeravai Nigama, and Ali for alleged tax evasion and possession of undisclosed wealth running into crores of rupees.

Simultaneous raids were conducted at the minister’s official residence in Bengaluru, his private residence in Gokak, the residences of Lakhan, Mullah and Ali in Gokak and at Hebbalkar’s house in Belagavi. According to sources, the raids followed ‘inputs on alleged discrepancies in tax returns filed by the minister and non-disclosure of assets.’

The income tax officials have reportedly seized some incriminating documents from the premises, which also include property documents of the new sugar factory, which is being commissioned by Hebbalkar at Karikatti village in the district.

The Jarkiholis rule the sugar bowl of Karnataka and own three of Belagavi’s largest sugar factories. Ramesh is a four-time MLA from the Gokak constituency and his brothers, represent the Arabhavi and Yamakanamaradi constituencies in Belagavi.