The Income Tax (I-T) department on Thursday conducted raids at premises linked to former deputy chief minister of Karnataka G. Parameshwara and others in connection with a multi-crore tax evasion case linked to the NEET exams, officials said.

A total of 30 premises are being covered in the raids and a team of around 80 I-T officials, apart from police personnel, are undertaking the searches at various locations in the state and some places in Rajasthan, they said.

The department took the action as part of its probe to check alleged irregularities in the conduct of NEET exams in two medical colleges run by a trust in Tumkur city.

Parameshwara is stated to be the chairman of the trust identified as Shri Siddhartha education trust.

A case of alleged forgery in the NEET exam by impersonation and alleged illegal payments made to secure seats is the trigger of the I-T action, officials said.

Searches are being conducted in Rajasthan to trace some students who impersonated in the exams, they said.

Parmeshwara was the deputy chief minister of Karnataka from May 2018 to July 2019.