BJP govt did not get clean chit in commission case: K’taka Minister Priyank Kharge
Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for RDPR and IT, BT Priyank Kharge said on Monday that the previous BJP government has not got a clean chit in the 40 per cent commission case by the Lokayukta.
Kharge said that the Lokayukta conducted an investigation regarding one work of BBMP PlayGround. “This is not a clean chit for a 40 per cent commission allegation. This also does not mean that the charges are ruled out. Due to the untimely death of the person who made the allegations, the evidence could not be found and the allegations could not be proved,” he said.
The minister said that when the investigating officer went to the residence of R Ambikapathy, he had died, adding that his son did not have any information regarding the allegations made by his father.
“The officer came back after obtaining the death certificate. Ambikapathy and other office bearers of the Contractors’ Association had made allegations regarding commissions in PWD, health, housing, higher education, minor irrigation and other departments,” the minister said.
He said that they had also made corruption charges against former minister and BJP MLA Munirathna.
“They also made charges of corruption regarding the construction of a hospital in Pavagada. However, the BJP government had handed over the investigation of only the BBMP East playground,” said Kharge.
He added that the investigation was handed over on March 27, 2023, by the BJP government. “Why did the BJP government not hand over other allegations for investigation despite the complaint,” he said.
The minister said that the investigating officers have mentioned in the report that due to the death of Ambikapathy. “The allegations made by him were not proved. The investigation was conducted on one of the allegations and it is not a clean chit to the BJP government in the 40 per cent commission case,” said Kharge.
He said that the BJP government has not bothered to probe other serious allegations, adding that Justice Nagamohan Das Commission is probing the 40 per cent commission scam and the report by this commission will bring out the truth regarding 40 per cent commission charges.
“The allegations regarding PSI scam, Gangakalyana scam, KKRB scam, Covid scam and other scams were rejected by the BJP. But, in the investigation the charges are proved in the preliminary probe,” Kharge said.
Karnataka BJP chief B.Y. Vijayendra said on Saturday that 40 per cent of commission charges against the previous BJP government are outright lies as now established by the Lokayukta investigation.