K'taka: Bhat Commission to seek CBI help

Bangalore, Nov 22: Suspended Bharatiya Janata Party member of the Karnataka Legislative Council Janardhana Reddy today welcomed the Justice U L Bhat Commission's decision to seek help of Central Bureau of Investigation to probe with regard to allegations of corruption against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and others by the miners.

Speaking to newsmen at his residence here, he said the decision came as a morale booster to his earlier stand of referring the matter to the CBI. This has vindicated his earlier stand as the state police were ill equipped to handle the issue. He also observed that Mr Kumaraswamy had no moral right to continue in office following the new development and demanded his resignation.

The commission's observation that the investigation done by local police might put the commission in an 'embarrasing' situation was nothing but a debacle suffered by the Chief Minister who was hellbent on hushing up his direct involvement in the scam, he charged.

Replying to queries he said he said he had also filed petitions before the high court and the supreme court seeking for CBI probe into the scam and the they were also coming up for hearing during this month.

Answering a question he said he had full faith in the Bhat commission of inquiry. However, the commission had its own limitations, he felt adding that he had no objection if the CBI were to assist the commission in getting at the truth.

UNI