BENGALURU: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said the state government is reviewing all old pending cases and the detention of karsevak Srikant Poojary in Hubballi was part of that process, and that it came up at the time of Ram Mandir inauguration is just a coincidence.
He told reporters that it is not good to keep pending cases piling up. “I had directed police officials to review old cases and dispose of them, either through conviction or releasing the accused, depending on the case. In Hubballi, the police were reviewing 32 old cases and this too came up,” he said.
"If only the Kar Sevak case had been taken up, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could have blamed the government. But other old cases too have come up for review. BJP is politicising the issue which is not correct. Also, it is not being done only in Hubballi, but across the state. SPs and police commissioners are doing it,” he said.
Asked if the Hubballi police commissioner updated him about it, the minister said, “This is a routine process and why should they update us? It does not require our directions or permission. They have the law books in their hands.”
On the state cabinet giving relief to Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar in CBI cases, he said the cabinet took the decision as the chief minister BS Yediyurappa had given the case to the CBI orally.
“That is why we handed it over to the Lokayukta. This is between CBI and Lokayukta. It does not come to our jurisdiction,” he added.
He said many have appealed to drop cases against Kannada activists and farmers. “But we cannot do that suo motu. It has to be done through law. We have constituted a cabinet subcommittee that will review the recommendations given by our officers. If the accused are found to be innocent, we will act accordingly,” he said.
When pointed out that cases against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for holding the Mekedatu Yatra during Covid were withdrawn, but not those filed against party MLAs, Parameshwara said they have set some guidelines and the decision will be taken based on that. Certain cases have been recommended to be continued, he added.