K'taka may file defamation suit against Janardhan Reddy

Bangalore, July 20, (UNI) The Karnataka government is actively considering filing a defamation suit against Bharatiya Janata Party Legislative Council member G Janardhan Reddy for reiterating his bribery charge against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his ministerial colleagues.

Briefing newspersons, even as an informal meeting of the Janata Dal Legislature Party was in progress here, Party spokesman Y S V Datta said the case would be filed under the provisions of section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Mr Reddy had created a furore in the Legislative Council yesterday when he repeated the bribery charge against Mr Kumaraswamy and his colleagues.

The MLC had earlier alleged that Forests Minister C Chennigappa had collected Rs 150 crore from mine owners in Bellary district on behalf of the Chief Minister. However, he had then denied that he had named the Chief Minister in the scandal.

Replying to queries, Mr Datta said the party legislators strongly backed Mr Kumaraswamy and had full faith in his leadership.

He suggested that a joint Legislature Party meeting of both the ruling coalition partners--JD(S) and BJP--could be held soon to resolve the tangle.

To a question, Mr Datta said there was no basis for Mr Reddy's allegation as there was no prima facie evidence to prove the Chief Minister's involvement. It was a political conspiracy to destabilise the coaltion government and Mr Reddy was being used by the Congress leaders for the purpose, he charged.

Mr Datta said there was no threat to the government's stability and the party would give a fitting reply to such conspiracies.

Stating that the Chief Minister would not resign bowing to the Opposition demand, Mr Datta, citing instances, said in the past late former Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde had resigned twice in connection with arrack bottling contract issue and telephone tapping case as there was prima facie evidences. Even in the case of former Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party State President S Bangarappa, there was sufficient evidence to prove his involvement in the Classic Computer case.

He also pointed out that former Chief Minister and Maharashtra Governor S M Krishna had not resigned even after a police official had named him before the court in connection with the Veerappan issue.

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