From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Nov 30: The Congress party has urged the D V Sadananda ministry to order a comprehensive probe by the CBI or the Karnataka Lokayukta into the Rs 1,539 crore scam in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

Congress opposition leader in the Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah alleged that the ruling BJP was trying to cover up the multi-crore scam by suddenly shunting out Siddaiah, former BBMP Commissioner and appointing M K Shankaralinge Gowda.

Siddaiah was transferred at the behest City BJP MLAs and corporators, Siddaramaiah said while addressing a news conference.

The Congress leader said Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda must be squarely held responsible for the alleged BBMP bill scam.

A preliminary inquiry conducted by the Technical Vigilance Cell of the BBMP has revealed massive misappropriation of funds to the tune of over 1539 crore in three Divisions comprising Malleswaram, Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Gandhinagar.

Instead of conducting the probe from an autonomous agency such as CBI, the government has ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe.

''How can anybody expect justice when the CID is under the direct control of the Government,’’ he said.

The CID probe was ordered when the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) was investigating the matter vigorously. ''The CID probe has been ordered at the behest of the vested interests and leaders involved in the scam in order to give a quiet burial to the entire scam and prevent unearthing of the sordid deatails,” he said.

Contending that only a CBI probe into the bill scam can nail the culprits and bring them to the book, Siddaramaiah said the government has been refusing to hand over the probe to a central agency since legislators of the ruling party and their supporters were involved in the huge fraud.

A large sum of money had been looted by producing fake bills and undertaking contract works during 2006-2009 under the JD(S)-BJP coalition rule and the subseqauent BJP government headed by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, the Congress leader said.

Siddaramaiah questioned the silence of the Bangalore Urban district in-charge minister R Ashok, who is also holding Home and Transport portfolios, over the huge fraud and demanded that the people must know the facts.