K'taka CM issued summons in defamation case

Bellary, Aug 21 (UNI) A lower court today issued summons to Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and two of his ministerial colleagues in a defamation case filed by suspended BJP legislator G Janardhana Reddy.

Judicial Magistrate First Class (Junior Division) Judge U Chandrasekhar issued the summons to Home Minister M P Prakash and Forests Minister C Chennigappa, besides Mr Kumaraswamy, to appear before the court on September seven.

Mr Reddy had alleged that Mr Kumaraswamy and Mr Chennigappa had received a bribe of Rs 150 crore from the mining lobby in the district, only to retract it following the intervention of the BJP top brass. However, he had later stuck to his charge on the floor of the Legislative Council, prompting Mr Kumaraswamy to term him mentally imbalanced. Irked by the remark, the BJP leader preferred the defamation suit.

After examination of witnesses was taken up on August ten, the court, on August 12, had posted orders on issuance of summons to today.

Emerging out of the court, Mr Reddy exuded confidence that justice would prevail. ''The admission of the defamation suit itself vouches for the fact that I am mentally stable,'' he said.

UNI XR GD-RG AD DS1632