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Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy and former Karnataka chief minister is under investigation for his alleged role in the denotification of 1.1 acres of land in Bengaluru’s Gangenahalli. He has countered with accusations of corruption and evidence tampering against investigator M Chandrasekhar.
Kumaraswamy is currently being investigated in connection with the denotification of 1.1 acres of land in Gangenahalli, Bengaluru.
New Delhi: M Chandra Sekhar, the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Lokayukta, has strongly reacted to corruption allegations levelled against him by Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy.
In a letter dated September 28, addressed to SIT staff, Chandra Sekhar referred to the Union Minister for Heavy Industries as an accused in “crime number 16/14 of SIT.” He criticised Kumaraswamy for making “false and malicious allegations and threats” against him.
Sekhar cites George Bernard Shaw
Quoting George Bernard Shaw’s famous saying, “Never wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty and the pig likes it,” Sekhar said that officials, in fulfilling their duties, cannot avoid confronting criminals and the accused. “At times, those we confront may try to tarnish our reputation, but this should not stop us from performing our duty,” the letter added.
Kumaraswamy is currently being investigated in connection with the denotification of 1.1 acres of land in Gangenahalli, Bengaluru. The former Karnataka chief minister has accused Sekhar of corruption and fabricating evidence under the protection of the Congress.
Kumaraswamy fires back
Responding to the letter, Kumaraswamy told the media on Sunday that while he was an accused in a case, he alleged that Chandra Sekhar was a “criminal in the guise of an official” and claimed that the officer was involved in multiple illegal activities.
In his letter, Sekhar pointed out that the SIT had sought permission from the relevant authority to prosecute the accused, who is out on bail. He added that Kumaraswamy’s allegations were an attempt to intimidate SIT officers and prevent them from carrying out their duties. “No matter how influential an accused may be, they remain an accused,” he said.
Background of the controversy
Chandra Sekhar has been investigating irregularities related to the granting of mining leases during Kumaraswamy’s tenure as Chief Minister between 2006 and 2007. In August this year, the SIT led by him requested additional documents from the Governor to seek sanction for prosecuting the Union Minister.
The letter comes a day after Kumaraswamy released copies of a complaint made by a junior officer, accusing Sekhar of demanding a bribe of Rs 20 crore. Kumaraswamy had also sought authorisation from his seniors to investigate officials from the Governor’s office. Apart from that, the Minister alleged that Sekhar was involved in “illegal construction and encroachment” activities.
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