Bengaluru/Mysuru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to take over the investigation into the assets owned by Karnataka Energy Minister D. K. Shivakumar (DKS). The probe will be taken over after the Income Tax (I-T) Department completes its ongoing raids on the houses and other properties of the Minister.

Today, the raid continued for the third consecutive day.

The I-T Department is investigating Shivakumar in a case of alleged tax evasion and huge undisclosed investments in real estate and jewellery, and some investments allegedly linked to him in Singapore and other foreign locations.

According to sources, a team of Enforcement Directorate will arrive at “Kankeri,” Shivakumar’s palatial residence at Sadashivanagar in Bengaluru this evening to examine the property documents seized by the I-T Department. Once the documents are examined and evidence is gathered, the ED will take over the probe, sources said.

The ED had received a formal complaint from whistle-blower Guruprasad, a resident of Ramanagaram, who alleged that Shivakumar and his associates were involved in money-laundering and had converted demonetised notes worth more than Rs. 2,000 crore into new currency.

In Mysuru, Income Tax officials are still holed up inside Shivakumar’s in-law’s house. The house, No. 240, on 4th Cross, Manasara Road, Indiranagar, Ittigegud, remained under the I-T scanner even after over 50 hours of searching. Income Tax officials searched documents till about 10 pm yesterday.

The 6-member team left for a hotel leaving behind one official to stay in the house. Before they left, a Constable from the Nazarbad Police Station was summoned to keep a watch at the gates of the house.

One PCR vehicle was also stationed in front of the house.  Sources said that the I-T team will continue to stay in the house till they get further orders from the main team that is raiding Shivakumar’s houses in Bengaluru.

CESC BILL COLLECTOR FRISKED

This morning, a bill collector from Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) came to Shivakumar’s in-laws house to give the monthly electricity bill. He was, however stopped by the Income Tax officials. He was frisked and his identity card was demanded. The bill collector’s bag was searched and his metre-reading machine was also examined.