Janardhan Reddy disowns statement on bribery issue

Bangalore, July 14 (UNI) Making a U turn, Mr G Janardhan Reddy, a BJP member of the Karnataka Legislative Council, today retracted his bribery allegation against Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

At a hurriedly convened press conference in the presence of party senior leaders, Revenue Minister Jagdish Shettar and Major and Medium Industries Minister Katta Subramania Naidu, he clarified that some people had collected money from nine mine owners in Bellary district in the name of the Chief Minister. He had no malafide intention when he spoke to the media about the bribery issue. It was a daylight robbery in the district, he said.

The issue had snowballed into a major controversy with the Opposition Congress stalling the proceedings in both the Houses of the State Legislature and demanding a CBI probe.

Mr Reddy had last week levelled the allegation against Mr Kumaraswamy and Forests Minister C Chennigappa that they had taken a bribe of Rs 150 crore from the mining lobby. However, the Chief Minister maintained that Mr Reddy had not made any direct allegation against him.

Mr Reddy stuck to his earlier stand regarding the transfer of District Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kumar Thakur, who had succeeded in curbing naxalite activites, and wanted him to be posted back in the district. It was unfortunate that the Chief Minister had transferred the police official without consulting district incharge Minister B Sriramulu.

Before newspersons could seek further clarifications from Mr Reddy, he was whisked away by the party leaders.

UNI SR-VK GD RKN1518