The Income-Tax Department Tuesday said it has been conducting search warrants at about a dozen premises in Karnataka on charges of tax evasion.
The raids are being conducted in state capital Bangalore, Hassan and Mandya and the department said the action is directed towards tax evaders and blackmoney generators.
Official sources, however, indicated that links of these persons with respect to ongoing polls will also be a part of the investigative operation.
The searches are based on credible intelligence that certain businessmen have earned income not disclosed to tax and are in possession of undisclosed assets.
Taxpayers included in the search operations are engaged in the business of real estate, quarrying and stone crushing, executing government contracts, operating petrol bunks, saw mill and managing cooperative banks, the department said in a statement.
These are sectors,which have high concentration of black money. It said five residences in Hassan, one each in Bangalore and Mandya along with their business premises are being covered as part of the search operations.
Around a dozen other premises are being searched, sources added. 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state will go to polls in two phases on April 18 and 23.
