Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Apr 20: The income tax officials, who have put together a report on Benami properties owned by several politicians including state water resources minister, D K Shivakumar, have filed the same in the New Delhi-based Benami Property Tribunal.

Officials of the Karnataka - Goa region had raided houses and offices of some politicians and industrialists during the year 2017. Scrutiny of documents seized during the raids had revealed Benami properties worth hundreds of crores of rupees had been with the politicians and their family members. Benami property worth Rs 75 crore belonging to Shivakumar was also unearthed then. More Benami properties standing in the names of families, relatives, and close confidantes of politicians have since been found. The report filed with the tribunal contains all these details, sources said.

As the officials have provided details of Benami properties he holds to the tribunal now, minister, D K Shivakumar, is expected to encounter some problems. The report submitted by the officials also is said to contain information about two influential politicians from Belagavi possessing Benami properties worth Rs 115 crore. Another politician was found to be having Benami property valued at Rs 49 crore. These politicians, in spite of repeated inquiries and notices, have failed to provide documents to prove that these properties were genuinely acquired.

If the politicians concerned fail to provide satisfactory documents to the tribunal in response to its notice within a specified period, their properties would be impounded by the government.