From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Mar 29: Even as the State Forest Minister C P Yogeshwar and Congress leader D K Shivakumar are involved in a running battle over the mutual allegations, Congress opposition leader in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and other partymen demanded the resignation of the minister on the registering of a first information report and filing of the charge-sheet in connection with the Rs 37 crore alleged fraud by the latter’s Mega City real estate company.
Siddaramaiah sought to move an adjournment motion on the registering of the FIR and filing of charge-sheet by the CID police into the alleged scandal by the Mega City company owned by the minister.
''He (Minister Yogeshwar) has no moral right to continue in office. He must resign forthwith or must be sacked immediately, if he failed to quit,” Siddaramaiah said demanding a detailed discussion on the entire issue.
Siddaramaiah said the Minister ''cannot remain in the Government when there are cases of fraud, forgery and misappropriation against him.”
Deputy Floor Leader of Congress T B Jayachandra questioned the continuation in the Government of the ''tainted” Minister and sought a thorough discussion.
Congress members, including D K Shivakumar, joined in pressing for a detailed discussion and the resignation of Yogeshwar.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar, however, argued that the charge-sheet was not of “recent occurrence” warranting a discussion under an adjournment motion. He also said the issue was pending before the court and cannot be discussed in the House as it was sub-judice.
Suresh Kumar said the Government was ready for a discussion after the debate on budget if the Opposition brought it up in the House under a different format (not an adjournment motion), a contention upheld by the Speaker K G Bopaiah.
Disallowing the adjournment motion, Bopaiah also suggested to the Congress to raise the matter as a calling attention notice, adding, he would also give permission if it was brought up for discussion under a different rule.
The Kannada actor-turned politician was charged with corporate fraud, forgery and cheating investors of Rs 37 crore by promising them sites in his private township by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office of the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
The report of the SFIO, which investigated complaints against the Mega City (Bangalore) Developers and Builders Ltd, of which Yogeshwar is managing director, accused him of indulging in corporate fraud, criminal conspiracy, forgery and cheating.
The SFIO found him guilty of forging about 450 sale agreements to falsely show that about Rs 37 crore was paid to landowners towards purchase of their land for the company’s project.
The CID police had filed charge-sheet against Yogeshwar in March 2010 for the alleged cheating of more than 9,000 investors of Rs 37 crore by promising them sites at a private township developed by his firm during 1995-2006.