Janardhan Reddy

Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday distanced itself from former BJP minister G. Janardhan Reddy – who hit the headline for spending lavishly on his daughter’s marriage – after the Income Tax Department conducted raids on his house earlier on Monday.

“Yes, he was a former BJP minister, but let me clarify: he is no more with the BJP since 2011. Needlessly patching Reddy with the BJP is only malicious,” BJP leader S. Prakash said.

When questioned about the presence of BJP state president B.S. Yedurappa in the marriage, Prakash said, “He was personally invited by Janartha Reddy, who was earlier his colleague. Even G. Parameshwara and many other Congress leaders also attended the wedding. So let’s not politicise it.”

The Tax department conducted surveys on at least ten locations of high-end event management firms, catering and multi-media service providers, who were engaged in the extravagant wedding of the mining barons Reddy’s daughter.

The tax officials initiated the action after receiving reports of high spending for the event. The officials are checking the account books, payment receipts and contract portfolios of these firms who specialise in creating special ambience and customised display for high-end spending clientele during their special events like weddings.

The 500-crore wedding was in the limelight recently for its display of opulence and extravagance at a time when people were facing a cash crunch and had to queue up outside banks and ATMs to withdraw their, in the wake of the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.