BENGALURU: A day after the Lokayukta SIT sought Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s nod to prosecute him in a case related to the allocation of land for mining, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy said he was not scared of the developments. “Let 100 Siddaramaiahs come, I am not scared,” he said. After CM Siddaramaiah said in Koppal on Wednesday that if required, they will arrest Kumaraswamy, the former CM told reporters, “Do I look scared? All of us have seen how the CM behaved in the last week. Hundred Siddaramaiahs can come to arrest me, but I am not scared.” Earlier in the day, addressing the media, Kumaraswamy alleged that the SIT has not completed its investigation and if it has done so, why has it not submitted any report to the Supreme Court.
Kumaraswamy said the issue started when he became the CM in 2006, and within two months, the Congress alleged that he took Rs 150 crore from mining company owners. “In fact, I ordered a probe on all mining-related irregularities. In 2010, the Lokayukta submitted a report in which it mentions the names of three former CMs — SM Krishna, Dharam Singh, and myself. In the report, they pointed out in two of my decisions, there was some misconduct. It also did not recommend any action against me and left it to the discretion of the government,” the JDS leader said.
Kumaraswamy said that in 2011, activist TJ Abraham approached the court, where he filed a private complaint against Krishna, Dharam Singh, and him. “Abraham, who is a blackmailer for Congress leaders now, was their hero then. Later, he went to the Lokayukta Court as per the court order. Meanwhile, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government approached the Supreme Court for a Lokayukta SIT investigation. In 2017, SIT was constituted, and the court had said the inquiry should be completed within three months. The SIT has not submitted the report to the court, but now the same SIT is seeking permission from the governor for my prosecution,” he added.
He said Congress leaders are indulging in revenge politics after he became Union minister. “They are making false allegations. I have not sanctioned land to Sri Sai Venkateshwara Minerals ... they have not taken up any mining, and even the Centre has not given permission. There is no question of loss to the state treasury. When that is the case, how can the SIT seek permission for prosecution?” he said, adding that he would fight the matter legally.
He alleged that in 2015, Siddaramaiah granted permission for mining to those who had cheated the government. “I am not going to release these documents now. I know there are people who can rewrite or tweak this,” Kumaraswamy said.