Bagalkot:  Just a couple of days before the voting day for the Assembly elections scheduled to take place on May 12, a cash scandal has hit Badami Constituency where Chief Minister Siddharamaiah is contesting, after the Income Tax Department raided a private resort on Monday and seized lakhs of rupees from there. Badami constituency holds prime importance as Siddharamaiah will be contesting from this seat apart from fighting elections from Chamundeshwari.

The inspection by I-T officials concluded yesterday and it is learnt that the I-T sleuths have seized some important documents from the resort.

Siddharamaiah’s close aide C.M. Ibrahim was present when the I-T sleuths raided the resort. The I-T sleuths, who grilled Ibrahim for about two hours, seized lakhs of rupees which was with Ibrahim. The I-T team comprised around 10 officials including an Income Tax Joint Director.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim speaking to the media said that he was not staying in the resort but had come there along with his friends for dinner. He further said that the I-T officials did not allow him to go but made him sit for hours before letting him go and added that the officials seized Rs. 5 lakh cash from him which he had kept for his expenditure.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Tuesday intercepted CM Siddharamaiah’s helicopter and scanned it for cash after he landed in Mandya to address one of his rallies.

According to reports, it is yet to be confirmed whether EC found any cash in Siddaramaiah’s chopper or not.