Mysuru: The marathon Income Tax raids on the houses of Karnataka Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar ended this morning and the tax officials left “Kankeri”, Shivakumar’s palatial residence at Sadashivanagar in Bengaluru along with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. After the raid, Shivakumar and his family members proceeded to a temple in two vehicles.

The raid began on Wednesday (Aug. 2) simultaneously at more than 60 locations at places including New Delhi, Bengaluru and Mysuru with over 120 officials.

The raids triggered a political backlash with the Congress party accusing the BJP led-Centre of targeting political opponents by misusing official investigating agencies.

Income Tax officials were spotted leaving the Minister’s house at around 10 am today and as soon as they left, Shivakumar came out of the house for the first time after Wednesday to speak to the media.

Mentioning that he had done no wrong, Shivakumar said that his assets were acquired through legal means.

“Nobody can hide truth. I will speak in detail only after obtaining Panchanama documents,” he said.

“I never worked against the spirit of the law and Constitution… I am not embarrassing my party. At no point of time I will let down my leaders,” he said. The Minister, who declined to give any details on the IT raids, said: “I will not give any picture now.”

“I will speak to you later in details …after obtaining Panchanama documents. I will reply to all of you, you waited in front of my house day and night. Now I am going to a temple. But I am not telling you which temple I am going,” Shivakumar said.

After four days of I-T raids on his residence and office, Shivakumar said: “I am not in a position to speak now. I am thanking all of you, Legislators, party workers who stood with me.”

He would also go to Eagleton Resorts where Gujarat Legislators have been staying for the last eight days and meet them, Shivakumar said. “I came from the village to Bengaluru to do politics,” he said adding that he would abide law.