From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Belagavi, Dec 19: KPCC President D K Shivakumar on Monday termed the sudden CBI raids on the educational institutions owned by him in Bengaluru as nothing but political vendetta at a time when he is busy attending the State legislature session in Belagavi and declared that he is unperturbed.
Speaking to media persons in Belagavi after the KPCC State Election Committee meeting on Monday evening, Shivakumar asserted that the ruling BJP was free to do anything and conduct any probes.
The KPCC chief said that he has received information about the raids and interrogation of the trustees of the educational institutions owned by him and also the staff.
"The government has allowed CBI to conduct the probe and they are free to do whatever they want,’’ he said pointing out that the previous chief minister B S Yediyurappa had given permission to the CBI to investigate the alleged illegal assets case and let them do what they want.
Shivakumar pointed out that he had already written to the CBI a few months back stating that over two years have elapsed since the registering of FIR but no inquiry was done.
"I had asked them to seek whatever information they want and I am prepared to give the same,’’ he said and mentioned that he had even approached the court in this regard and had also questioned the grant of permission by the government to CBI.
He indicated that the State’s Advocate General had opined that there was nothing special in the case and that it can be investigated by the State police locally.
"I had submitted even this finding by the State’s Advocate General to the court. But still, they are out to trouble me due to political pressure. Let them do it. I am not worried,’’ he asserted.
The KPCC chief said the ruling BJP and CBI did not find any industrialist or politician in the State except him.
"They have sent me to jail once and now they want to send me again before the assembly elections. If I have done anything illegal or against the law, let them punish me. My life, educational institutions and political life are all transparent. There is not a single corruption charge against me. There were no illegal dealings even when I was Energy Minister. Still, they have registered illegal assets case. It is 3 years since the case was given to CBI. They should have completed their investigation by now and determined the illegal activities committed by me. But nothing has been done so far in the last 3 years,’’ he said.
Shivakumar said an advocate to whom payment of Rs 5 lakh was made had been issued summons while the travel agent through whom another friend who was sent to US has been served a notice.
"I am not going to list the people who have been interrogated or issued summons. But the people are watching everything,’’ he said.
He had questioned why the CBI or the BJP is silent over the allegation by former union minister and MP V Srinivasa Prasad regarding payment of Rs 15 crore for the Operation Kamala and also the allegation by another BJP MP Pratap Simha that bribes ranging from Rs 3 to 5 crore need to be paid for vice-chancellors' posts. The appointments for vice-chancellors of Universities must be done by the Governor, who is the Chancellor, and when allegations are made publicly why the Bommai government, ED or CBI are silent,
he asked.
The KPCC chief wondered why no investigation or probe was done when a professor, who had paid money for the vice-chancellor’s post, had committed suicide.