I-T searches: Federal structure violated, says Digvijaya

Bhopal: Recent searches conducted in Madhya Pradesh by the Income Tax department by roping in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have prompted senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh to allege that the action was a blow to the federal structure because the state government was kept in dark by the Centre.

Singh also sought explanations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on this "violation of the Constitution".

The searches were conducted on Sunday and Monday in Indore and Bhopal at the premises of the people allegedly linked to state Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

"As per the federal structure of the Constitution, no employee or official of any Central agency can take action in any state without informing the state government.

"I think the way the Centre's IT department and Enforcement Directorate (ED), along with the CRPF, took the action (to conduct the searches), it amounts to the violation of the Constitution. The PM and the Finance Minister should give answer," the former chief minister told reporters Tuesday.

The searches were conducted at the premises of Nath's former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Pravin Kakkad in Indore and Bhopal, besides those of his aide Ashwani Sharma.