Omission of reference to bribery charges against CM irks Opposition

The omission of any reference to the Rs 1.5 billion bribery charges against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in the terms of reference laid down for judicial inquiry into the mining scandal in Karnataka has irked the Opposition Congress.

The coalition Government in Karnataka appointed former Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court U L Bhat to head the Commission of Inquiry into the illegal mining in the State and laid down the terms of reference for a probe.

But, the absence of any specific reference to the Rs 1.5 billion pay-off to the Chief Minister and his two of cabinet colleagues in the mining scandal has incensed the Opposition Congress, which has renewed its demand for a CBI probe into the matter.

The brief of the U L Bhat Commission of Inquiry, appointed after much brouhaha over the bribery charges against the Chief Minister, is to merely inquire into illegal mining activities in three districts of Karnataka – Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga.

Congress party’s spokesperson in Karnataka and legislator V S Ugrappa said the glaring omission of any reference to the bribery charges against the Chief Minister is a blatant attempt by the coalition Government to pull wool over the faces of the people in the State. “They are cheating the people of the State”, he said.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President M Mallikarjun Kharge was quick to renew the party’s demand for a CBI probe into the matter after the gazette notification on the terms of reference laid for the U L Bhat Commission of Inquiry was issued.

“The judicial inquiry is just an eye-wash. They want to fool the people of the State by ordering a judicial inquiry. We want a CBI probe into the scandal. A judicial inquiry does not necessarily lead to prosecution of the guilty whereas as CBI probe can”, Kharge said.

Meanwhile, legislator Janardhan Reddy, who was suspended from the BJP after he levelled bribery charges against the Chief Minister, has filed a criminal defamation suit against Kumaraswamy and two of his cabinet colleagues for describing him as “insane”.

Reddy’s lawyer Venkateshwarulu told reporters yesterday that the Judicial First Magistrate’s Court (JFMC) court in Bellary had admitted the criminal defamation petition against the Chief Minister, Home Minister M P Prakash and Forest Minister C Chennigappa.

Reddy has filed a defamation suit against the Chief Minister and two of his cabinet colleagues for calling him “insane” when he reiterated his bribery charges in the legislative council.