I-T raids at premises of CCD owner VG Siddhartha
What's the story
Reports have come in that the I-T department is conducting raids on several premises belonging to VG Siddhartha, founder-owner of the Cafe Coffee Day franchise and son-in-law of former Karnataka CM SM Krishna. Search operations are ongoing at various firms belonging to Siddhartha, including Bengaluru's Coffee Day Square, the headquarters of CCD, and premises belonging to the Way to Wealth Group and Serai Group.
Accusations
What are the allegations against Siddhartha?
Allegations of corruption had emerged against Siddhartha years ago. The Samaj Parivartana Samudaya has been actively seeking an SIT probe into his assets. According to it, Siddhartha, who was a pauper in 1999, had become one of India's richest men with "undue influence" of Krishna, former foreign minister under the UPA and former Maharashtra governor. Evidence reportedly links Siddhartha to a Rs. 50,000cr scandal.
Krishna
How involved is SM Krishna in the alleged wrongdoings?
Krishna has been accused in an illegal mining case along with former Karnataka CMs N Dharam Singh and HD Kumaraswamy. However, soon after he shifted to the BJP in March'17 after spending 46 years with the Congress, the SC ordered the investigation against Krishna "shall remain stayed". Many felt the shift was to protect his family from the NDA government's 'targeting' of political rivals.