Karnataka - Bellary   

Reddy insists on CBI investigation

Staff Correspondent

`Only CBI probe will bring out the truth behind allegations'

Janardhan Reddy

BELLARY: Janardhan Reddy, MLC suspended from the Bharatiya Janata Party, has reiterated his demand that the State Government refer the Rs. 150-crore bribery charge levelled by him against Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and the Ministers M.P. Prakash and C. Chennigappa to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for an inquiry.

Reacting to the Government's reported move to wind up the U.L. Bhat Commission on Inquiry, Mr. Reddy said, "Since the beginning I have been insisting that the Government should order a CBI inquiry because a commission would not serve the purpose. I have filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Government to refer the matter to the CBI."

The Commission of Inquiry, headed by U.L. Bhat, former Chief Justice of the Gauhati and Madhya Pradesh High Courts, was appointed to inquire into illegal mining activities in the State.

Allum Veerabhadrappa, a mine owner, a former Minister and a former president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, asked, "If the commission was to be wound up, then why was it constituted?" He wanted the Government to say whether the purpose for which the commission was constituted had been accomplished. Mr. Veerabhadrappa reiterated his party's stand that the matter should be referred to the CBI.

`Continue vigil'

He said the appointment of the Bhat Commission and ordering a survey of forest land leased for mining had brought down illegal mining to a considerable extent. He wanted the Government to continue the vigil to curb illegal.

S. Prasanna Kumar, general secretary of the State unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said the Government had exhibited its true colours by proposing to wind up the commission. He wanted the Government to refer the matter to the CBI.

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