BENGALURU: Karnataka Excise Minister RB Timmapur, who was caught in the whirlwind of the alleged Rs 6,500 crore bribery in his department, on Tuesday reiterated that the officials misused his name to get money, saying that action will be taken against them.
Listing out what he called “revolutionary” reforms, which he claimed to have brought about, including e-auctioning of the licences, Timmapur said, “This portfolio (excise) is like that as there have been allegations against the previous minister as well. Allegations against me are all false.”
He was addressing reporters after reviewing the progress of his department at Vidhana Soudha.
“I have implemented several reforms in issuing licences and renewing them. This seems to have caused trouble for many. That is why they are making allegations against me. The recognition of the organisation (Karnataka Wine Merchants’ Association) that accused the department lapsed 20 years ago, and it does not exist at all,” Timmapur said.
Hitting out at the BJP, he said the saffron party did not want the issue of the repeal of the UPA-era MGNREGA to be discussed in the recent special session of the legislature and hence was accusing him of a multi-crore scam.
Timmapur said that for the first time in the Excise Department, the Karnataka Civil Services (Excise Department Officers and Employees) Rules-2025 have been implemented from May 14, 2025, and the transfers of officials were carried out accordingly in an impartial and transparent manner. “As per these rules, 679 officers/employees have already been transferred on merit through digital counselling,” he said.
The rules have also been formulated to mandatorily not give any executive posts to officers/employees who are facing criminal cases or Lokayukta cases or departmental inquiries and who are under sentence, Timmapur added.
“Of the 3,293 officers/employees serving in the Excise Department, 2,957 belong to Group C and are undergoing the transfer process through transparent merit- based counselling. This will ensure that no corruption or other means are involved in the transfer,” he said.
In 2025-26, 14,101 licenses were renewed online within 48 hours without any complaints and the renewal period has been extended from 1 year to five years, he elaborated.