BENGALURU: Will Sonia Gandhi confidante, senior Congress leader and former minister, K.J. George meet the same fate as D.K. Shivakumar, who was jailed during the course of investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED)?
Sources claim that, George, who is accused of amassing properties worth millions of dollars in the name of his daughter and son-in-law in Manhattan, New York, seems to be in trouble.
Acting on a complaint by political activist Ravikrishna Reddy, the ED began investigating the matter. George, who appeared before the ED seemed to be confident that he would not be prosecuted. ED officers have asked George to furnish details of all bank accounts maintained by him and his family members, both in India and abroad.
They have also sought details of all movable and immovable properties in India and abroad owned by him, along with proof.
The ED also asked the Congress leader to produce “Income Tax returns from the financial year 2005 onwards till date. Copies of Income Tax returns, audited balance sheet and P&L account, along with all the annexures filed by all your concerns for the financial year 2005-06 onwards and till date.”
George, after being grilled for hours, stated that he will produce all documents sought by the officials, but refused to divulge any other details to the media.
Ravikrishna Reddy, the complainant in the case, alleged that George, being “a powerful politician since the 1990s has amassed properties in Manhattan area of New York city, which is regarded as one of the costliest real estate in the world”.
The details of three properties on Lafayette Street in Manhattan, and two properties on Mullberry Street in New York has been listed. Most of the properties are in the name of his daughter Renita Abraham and son-in-law Kevin Abraham, Reddy alleged. “All these properties are worth millions of dollars and the daughter and son-in-law’s income does not match,” he said.
In his submission to Lokayukta, George in 2014 said that “the income of his children is nil.”
