BENGALURU: With the CBI likely to soon issue notices to former ministers in the multi-crore IMA scam, the case is getting more curious by the day. On Monday, a twitter war broke out between Congress leaders and former minister R Roshan Baig’s supporters over Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala’s letter to Special Investigation Team (SIT) chief BR Ravikanthe Gowda.
The Opposition Congress demanded the Governor’s resignation. “It is surprising that Governor Vajubhai Vala has written a letter to the SIT chief in support of an accused in the IMA scam. The Governor has violated all norms and constitutional propriety. No wonder this person is roaming freely, despite a Rs 410 crore accusation on his head. The Governor must resign,” stated Congress MLC Rizwan Arshad.
In his letter to Gowda on July 17, the Governor had stated that “R Roshan Baig is a witness in the investigation conducted by the SIT in respect of IMA case; do needful for his safety, freedom and free movement”.
The Governor had also stated that Baig, in his letter of July 16, that he had submitted his resignation to the Assembly Speaker and also requested for police protection. “The Commissioner of Police, in his letter on July 16, has assured security and safety of the MLA and his family members,” the Governor stated.
Congress supporters questioned the Governor’s action of writing the letter and how Baig can be considered a witness. “It’s a shame that BJP stoops to such low levels to protect an accused,” stated Mohammed Danish.
Arshad’s tweets drew an angry response from Baig’s son R Ruman Baig and his supporters. “This MLC, after losing several elections, is eyeing Shivajiagar assembly constituency by trying to play into the apathy of IMA scam victims. I’d like to let people know that this man has used IMA money for election campaigns and he has also used the money of duped investors of Injaz Ponzi scam,” stated Ruman.
Defending the Governor for directing the SIT chief to provide security to Baig, Ruman said the SIT had issued summons to his father, asking him to appear before it on July 19, but he was illegally detained on July 16, as he had refused to toe then-coalition government’s line. “After that, I approached the Governor seeking protection. Based on our request, the Governor directed the SIT chief to give protection,” he said.