Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Sep 8: Additional director general of police (ADGP) of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), K V Gagandeep, stated that the ACB is continuing with preliminary investigation into Hublot watch issue. He added that ACB has sought clarification as to whether Dr Girish Chandra Varma had remitted customs duty on the Hublot watch he gifted to state chief minister, Siddaramaiah.

He was addressing a press conference here on Wednesday September 7.

Gangandeep said that three complaints in total have been registered in respect of the said watch issue, and that preliminary investigation is undertaken based on them. The department has currently sought to know from the customs department as to whether duty on the watch was paid on the watch gifted to the chief minister.

"If NRI Dr Girish Chandra Varma had not remitted duty, we will take legal steps. If he had paid customs duty, we will check whether gifting of the watch is covered by Anti Corruption Act. At the same time, enforcement directorate has also been independently looking into this issue," he clarified.

He further said that the allegation of land grabbing registered against chief secretary of the government, Arvind Jadhav, is being investigated. "Revenue department is verifying documents. We will collect all necessary information before proceeding further," he said.