BELAGAVI: Buckling under pressure from the opposition members, Home Minister G Parameshwara announced the suspension of the two officials, whose assets were raided by Income-Tax (IT) department on Thursday. The announcement was made during the Legislative session in Belagavi on Friday. The officials were accused of stashing Rs 5.7 crore cash in new denominations of `2,000.
Parameshwara said that T N Chikkarayappa, Managing Director, Cauvery Neeravari Nigam and S C Jayachandra, Chief Project Officer, State Highway Development Project have been suspended in connection with the cash seizure.
A detailed inquiry is being conducted and legal action will be taken based on the probe report.
The I-T sleuths had raided the offices and residences of Chikkarayappa, Jayachandra, businessman Sibi Chakravarthy of Kannan Borewells and Ramlingam, a civil contractor, at Bengaluru on Thursday.
Citing media reports which stated that the accused were close to the chief minister, the opposition members earlier linked the huge cash seizure to increasing corruption in the state.
VS Ugarappa clarified that the accused were working with the government, but had no links to the CM. He termed all such allegations baseless.
Prior to suspension announcement,opposition members demanded immediate action against the officials. Parameshwara said that inquiry was being conducted and necessary action would be initiated by evening. Irked over the answer, the opposition members launched a protest in the Well. Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman Shankar Murthy adjourned the house for 15 minutes. After it recommenced, Parameshwara announced the suspension.
Opposition leader K S Eshwarappa demanded a probe report in this case be made public.
“It is shocking that when people are standing in long queues to withdraw `2,000 cash, these accused managed to possess so much illegal cash,” he said. MLC Basangouda Patil Yatnal demanded a CBI inquiry into the case.
Souharda Sahakari Bill-2016, ban on harmful trees get nod
Belagavi: To train employees of cooperative sector and facilitate recruitment of employees in banking sector, Karnataka Legislative Council unanimously passed Karnataka Souharda Sahakari (Second Amendment) Bill-2016 in Belagavi on Friday. Few opposition members,including Basangouda Yatnal,however,initially opposed the bill,questioning the reason for establishing a cooperative training centre at Mysuru. He said a centre at Belagavi would have been better. The Council also unanimously passed the bill for banning the plantation of trees, which are harmful for the environment like Acacia and Nilgiri (Eucalyptus).