Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Nov 15: Former Karnataka Chief Minister (CM), B S Yeddyurappa, has asked former Lokayukta, Justice N Santosh Hegde, to introspect as to why he could not rein in rampant corruption that was prevalent in his own office. “If he is honest, he should find an answer for this question,” he urged.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday November 14, he sought clarification from Justice Hegde about the pressure he was facing while sending the former to jail. He sought an answer from the former Lokayukta as to whether he had an eye on a plum position at the centre. “BJP national president, Nitin Gadkari, had accompanied me while visiting Justice Hegde and convincing him to withdraw his resignation from Lokayukta position. He seems to have given back this indebtedness by sending me to jail. However, I am not disappointed at this gesture,” he commented. 

Saying that he had been sent to jail on the basis of mere allegations, he said he will wait for the charges against him to be proved by the concerned. Yeddyurappa asked Justice Hegde reasons for his sparing of S M Krishna Dharam Singh, and Kumaraswamy, although he had been asked to investigate mining irregularities for the period from 2001 to 2010, and for targetting him and the Reddy brothers alone.

He drew the attention of the people to the allegation made by Deve Gowda that the former had a hand in the transfer of Lokayukta ADGP, Jeevan Gaonkar, while Hegde says that Gaonkar was transferred to extend protection to him. “Why am I being targeted for everything?” he wanted to know. He accused the opposition leaders of not getting satisfaction even after preempting his downfall.

At the same time, excise minister, Renukacharya, speaking at Mysore, questioned Justice Hegde’s action in accusing the government of mala fide intention in transferring Gaonkar, while not bothering to say anything about Deve Gowda’s threat to the Lokayukta ADGP, Gaonkar, and SP, Shivashankar. He also asked the former Lokayukta as to why he is mum on the meeting between Kumaraswamy and DGP, Shankar Biadari, who had taken up investigation of Krishna Upper Bank Project irregularities against the former. 

He concluded that Justice Hegde’s only aim is to target the state government headed by BJP, and Yeddyurappa. He also charged the former Lokayukta of failing to examine the roles of Dharam Singh, S M Krishna, and other Chief Ministers in the mining scam, and holding Yeddyurappa solely guilty for all the irregularities.