Bribery charge: Gowda terms allegations baseless

Bangalore, Aug 23: Former Prime Minister and JD (S) President H D Deve Gowda today dismissed as baseless the corruption charges levelled against his son and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and other family members by suspended BJP legislator G Janardhana Reddy and said ''it was a vicious attempt to tarnish the image of his family and party.''

In a statement here, he said the so-called expose had ''undoubtedly been orchestrated by powerful lobbies whose overwhelming influence on the state machinery has been totally eliminated by the coalition government led by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.'' He said ''I dismiss all the baseless allegations with the contempt they deserve.'' His family members would take appropriate legal action, including filing of criminal defamation suit, against Mr Reddy.

Stating that the Independent Commission of inquiry, headed by a retired Chief Justice of the High Court, probing the entire mining controvery would come out with the truth.

He said people of the state were well aware of this ''deep rooted conspiracy by vested interests'' to destabilise the JD (S)-BJP government and they would give a bifitting reply to these forces at an appropriate time.

Mr Reddy released evidences such as CDs, audio tapes and some documents to the media at Bellary today to prove his charge that Mr Kumaraswamy and Forests Minister C Chennigappa had taken a bribe of Rs 150 crore from the mining lobby in Bellary district.

UNI