Reddy substantiates bribery charge on K'taka CM

Bellary, Aug 23: Substantiating his Rs 150 crore bribery allegation against Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his ministerial colleagues and family members, by releasing evidences such as compact discs and audio tapes, suspended BJP legislator G Janardhana Reddy today sought a CBI probe into the entire episode.

Mr Reddy, who first made the allegation on July seven, also filed a writ petition in the Karnataka High court seeking a CBI probe into the irregularities and bribery charges.

Addressing a two-hour-long press conference here, Mr Reddy accused Mr Kumaraswamy's family members, especially brother H D Balakrishna Gowda, of driving mine owners from Bellary by exerting pressure on mine owners through various forms. The mine owners were intimidated by anti-social elements and Mines and geology department officials, he claimed.

Though he did not directly implicate Mr Kumaraswamy in the issue, he said his main target was the Chief Minister as only after he assumed office the level of corruption had shot up.

Mr Reddy said this was only the first phase of his onslaught against the Chief Minister and he would once again come out with more facts.

Even as Mr Kumaraswamy and former Prime Minister H D Devegowda had dismissed the allegations as baseless and described release of the CDs as an attempt to slur the image of the family members, the Congress vociferously reiterated its demand for a CBI inquiry and urged Governor T N Chaturvedi to initiate proceedings to dismiss the government.

Dismissing Mr Reddy's revelations as a non-issue, Mr Kumaraswamy said it would not rock the JD (S)-BJP coalition government as legislators of both the parties had exuded confidence in his leadership.

UNI