Audio clip row: Karnataka assembly Speaker asks CM Kumaraswamy for SIT probe

Bengaluru, Feb 11: Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Monday asked Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the audio clip (of alleged conversation of Yeddyurappa with a JD(S) MLA's son). Speaker ordered that probe should be finished within 15 days.

The Chief Minister had recently released two audio clips - one was a purported conversation between Sharanagouda, son of a JDS MLA, and Shivanagouda Nayak (who, allegedly, is a BJP MLA), where the BJP MLA is heard telling Sharanagouda that the Speaker was on their side after he was paid ₹50 crore.

However, Yeddyurappa has dismissed the audio clips as 'fake' and 'a concocted story' and said he had not met anyone to woo Nagana Gouda as alleged.

Kumaraswamy had "concocted" the story to hide his failures and inability to keep the JD(S) and Congress flock together, Yeddyurappa told reporters.

"It is a fake audio. I have not met anyone. Kumaraswamy is trying to hide his failures. This is a drama," Yeddyurappa said. He said the Kumaraswamy government had lost the trust of the people and had "no moral right" to continue in office.

Yeddyurappa dismissed a claim by the chief minister that he had spoken in the audio about a "Rs 50 crore" offer to the assembly speaker.