Protesters from Manava Band hutva Vedike and Samvidhana Samrakshana Samitis protest in Hosapete on Thursday
Supporters in Ghataprabha have announced a large-scale agitation on Sept 12. Because he is seen as a contender for higher leadership roles in the state, but expressed confidence that he would emerge from the controversy with his reputation intact, he claimed Jarkiholi was being targeted. At a protest in Chikkodi, senior Congress leader Arjun Naikwadi alleged that the action was aimed at politically targeting a prominent Dalit leader.
The agency searched seven locations in Belagavi and Gokak. raids were under way at four locations till Thursday evening While operations concluded at three premises. At Jarkiholi’s Hill Garden residence in Gokak, ED officials reportedly questioned his daughter, Chikkodi MP Priyanka Jarkiholi, and son Rahul Jarkiholi, Karnataka State Youth Congress general secretary. Officials were seen carrying away two boxes of documents. In Belagavi, searches continued at the residence of Y Manjunath, additional commissioner in the excise department and Jarkiholi’s brother-in-law, and at the residence and office of the minister’s close associate Girish Sonwalkar. The agency also searched the residences of Malagouda Patil in Belagavi and Raju Dharshetti and Vitthal Parasannavar in Gokak, all considered close associates of the minister.
Belagavi : Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches at locations linked to public works minister Satish Jarkiholi continued for a second consecutive day on Thursday in Belagavi district.
She said the Congress would stand united with Jarkiholi and face the challenge collectively. Belagavi Rural MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar also condemned the raids as politically motivated and alleged misuse of central agencies to target opposition leaders.