BJP legislator seeks CBI probe against Karnataka CM

Hours after disappointing an expectant public of Karnataka by releasing CDs with masked faces and jarring audio as proof of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s involvement in the bribery scandal, BJP legislator Janardhan Reddy moved the Karnataka High Court seeking a CBI probe into the corrupt activities of the Chief Minister and his two ministerial colleagues.

The writ petition, which was filed by well-known criminal advocate C V Nagesh on behalf of Reddy, has alleged that Kumaraswamy, Forest Minister C Chennigappa and Home Minister M P Prakash had threatened to close down mining in Bellary district if the mine owners did not cough up the bribe amount.

Reddy, who is himself in the mining business, said he had arranged for recording of the personal meeting of a Minister with the mine owners, where the Minister had made a demand for “illegal gratification” in return for not disturbing mining. Claiming that the gratification sought ran into millions of rupees, Reddy said the money paid by the mine owners had changed several hands before reaching the three Ministers.

Properties worth more than a billion rupees had been purchased in the names of the family members of Kumaraswamy. Most of the acquisitions had been made after Kumaraswamy assumed charge as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, he said in the writ petition.

He has also submitted a series of CDs and other documentary evidence as proof of the charges he had made against the Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues.

Meanwhile, Reddy, whose much-hyped disclosure of evidence against the Chief Minister turned out to be a damp squib, released another CD late on Wednesday night with clear video footage. The video showed an exporter, identified as R K Sharma, speaking on the mobile phone to a person by name Ashwin Paul, understood to be the Chief Minister’s agent.

The exporter claims he had paid Rs two million for exporting iron ore, but the voice at the other end, which is supposed to the Chief Minister’s agent, tells the exporter that the money was for the Chief Minister’s fund and exporter has to pay more now.

However, Reddy said he had decided to keep certain “critical” taped evidence under the wraps for the time being. “The evidence in those tapes could lead to the immediate ouster of Chennigappa and M P Prakash, who are small players in the scam. I am looking to nail the Chief Minister himself”, Reddy said.

Reddy has sought to keep the suspense over the Chief Minister’s bribery scandal alive by claiming that he would release four more CDs at a press conference to be held in Bangalore during the next few days.

Reacting bitterly to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy for accusing him of doctoring the tapes, Reddy dared the Chief Minister to subject the tapes to a forensic test to prove their authenticity.

Meanwhile, the BJP’s Karnataka unit has decided to recommend the party’s national leadership to expel Reddy from the party for “gross indiscipline”.

BJP’s Karnataka unit President D V Sadananda Gowda told reporters that Reddy, who has already been suspended from the party, had failed to substantiate his allegations against the Chief Minister. “I will send a report to the party’s national leadership on the entire issue and recommend the expulsion of Reddy”, Sadananda Gowda said and added that the party will also consider suspending former Federal Minister Basavaraj Patil Yatnal for supporting Reddy.