Bengaluru, Jan 7 (NationPress) A formal complaint has been lodged with the Income Tax Department against Karnataka Minister for Tourism and Waqf Zameer Ahmad Khan, who also serves as the District In-Charge Minister for Ballari. The complaint alleges that he unlawfully provided Rs 25 lakh in cash as compensation to the family of the deceased Congress worker, Rajashekar.

It is noteworthy that Rajashekar lost his life during a violent confrontation between Congress and BJP supporters.

The complaint was filed by Hindu activist Tejas Gowda, who accuses the minister of breaching Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations. The complaint highlights that RBI rules stipulate that any financial transaction exceeding Rs 2 lakh must occur via authorized banking channels.

The complainant has called for a thorough investigation into the origin of the cash purportedly provided as compensation. He seeks clarification on whether the funds were officially recorded or if they represent undisclosed income. The Income Tax Department has yet to respond to this complaint.

During a media event, Minister Zameer presented a bag containing Rs 25 lakh as compensation to Rajashekar's family. This action has prompted opposition parties to demand transparency regarding the source of the funds and whether the compensation was disbursed by the government, the Congress party, or personally by Minister Zameer.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar have indicated that they will discuss this matter with Minister Zameer.

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has raised concerns about the cash compensation, questioning the source of the funds and whether tax laws were adhered to. He stated, "The Income Tax Department should clarify this issue."

In response to inquiries about the cash controversy, Deputy CM Shivakumar mentioned he would consult with Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan. He further commented that Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has influence over the IT department and central agencies.

Allegations have been made by Union Minister Kumaraswamy regarding a conspiracy by the Congress-led government to obscure the details of the Ballari shooting case. He accused top officials, including the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Home Minister, of attempting to conceal the murder of their own party member.

Kumaraswamy asserted that alarming information had surfaced concerning the shooting incident involving the gunman of a close associate of Ballari MLA Nara Bharat Reddy. He claimed that the post-mortem of the slain Congress worker Rajashekar was conducted illegally on two occasions.

He has requested that the investigation be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive inquiry.

The Special Court for MLAs and MPs in Bengaluru has remanded 26 individuals to judicial custody in relation to the Congress shootout case, including Gurucharan Singh, the private gunman of Satish Reddy, an aide of Congress MLA Nara Bharat Reddy, who is facing murder charges in this case.