BANGALORE: The suspended BJP MLC G. Janardhan Reddy on Wednesday moved the Karnataka High Court seeking a CBI inquiry against Chief Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy, Home Minister M.P. Prakash and Minister for Forests C. Chennigappa and their relatives for offences punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

In his petition, Mr. Reddy said he came from a family of philanthropists and educationists and that he was engaged in mining in Andhra Pradesh. He said he owned property worth crores of rupees and paid Rs. 30 crore annually as taxes.

The MLC said he had come to know that a group of people comprising the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Mr. Kumaraswamy, Mr. Prakash and Mr. Chennigappa had threatened to close down mining in Bellary district if the mine owners did not allegedly "cough up money."

`Shocked'

Mr. Reddy said he was shocked by this information and arranged for recording of the personal meeting of a Minister with the mine owners where the Minister made a demand for "illegal gratification" in return for not disturbing mining.

He alleged that the gratification sought ran into crores of rupees. This money changed hands several times before it reached the three public servants who were now holding office as Ministers. Heavy amounts were deposited in fictitious names either in scheduled or cooperative banks.

The amounts invested for acquisition of property running into crores of rupees came to be shown as borrowings from banks on the security of the deposits made in the very institutions.

Some of the deposits were in the names of persons whose existence was not known at all.

He said women members in the families of the three public servants lent their name for the acquisition of assets. They could not have made these investments as they had no source of income.

Citing examples, he said the names of Honappa father-in-law of Balakrishne Gowda who is the brother of Mr. Kumaraswamy), Jayamma (wife of Honappa), Kavita Balakrishne Gowda, Anita Kumaraswamy, Ramesh, Anasuya Manjunath, Shaila Chandrashekar, Bhavani Revanna, C. Bojaraj, Shobha, M. Manjunath, Prabhavathamma, Munilakshmamiah, N. Rajanna, Nagarathnamma and B.M. Shivaramu were used for false and fictitious bank transactions.

Besides, the names of several business establishments such as Amogh, Kunal Enterprises, Kasturi Medias and BSK Trading came to be used. It was through the transaction of some defunct companies in which some of the family members of Mr. Deve Gowda were made members that transactions running into crores of rupees were made. He further alleged that properties worth Rs. 100 crore came to be purchased in the names of some of the family members of Mr. Deve Gowda. Most of such acquisitions were after Mr. Kumaraswamy assumed office as Chief Minister.

Mr. Reddy said after he came to know of these facts, he called a press meet and disclosed them. He had even then asked for a CBI probe. Though the Chief Minister initially pretended to order a CBI inquiry, he later ordered a probe under the Commission of Enquiries Act, without making any reference to the charges levelled by him.

Direction sought

He said the charges levelled by him needed a thorough investigation and this could not be carried out by the State police as it was an instrument of the State Government. He sought a direction from the High Court to refer the matter to the CBI for further investigation.

Mr. Reddy said he had filed material to substantiate his charges. He said only an agency that was not under State control could conduct a fair and transparent investigation.

He had named as respondents the Director of the CBI, Delhi, and CBI, Bangalore.

The petition was filed on Wednesday by advocates C.V. Nagesh and D.V. Ravishankar, who are appearing for Mr. Reddy.

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