On Thursday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is leading searches at five places in Karnataka. The search operations are being led in relation to a demonetization case involving the Chief Manager of Corporation Bank.

Searches are being carried at five places in Bangalore, Kanakapura, and Ramanagara. It includes three habitations of election cell officials, namely cell-in-charge Shivananda, Election Cell clerk Nanjappa and Padmanabaiah.

It was alleged that B Prakash, the involved, in connection with unknown others, had illegally transferred Rs 10 lakh worth of old notes with new ones as on November 14, 2016. According to the CBI, Prakash tried to wrap up this act by building fake order slips.

Earlier, the investigative agency had lodged a case against Prakash, officials of Corporation Bank and unknown others on April 7 last year. The raids took a political tone with Shivakumar, an MLA, and his MP brother D K Suresh calling it a "cruel act" by the BJP-led government at the centre to limit them.

During a press conference, Suresh said that the search warrants had been published by a special CBI court against 11 people, including him, but showed ignorance about the charges. He claimed the central government was targeting him and his brother Shivakumar. 

Meanwhile, former chief minister Siddaramaiah judged the CBI raids, claiming that the Centre had been targeting Congress ministres but it will not benefit.