From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 10: Hours before the closure of electioneering for the Mat 12 assembly polls in the State, the ruling Congress party has alleged that Ballari BJP MP, B Sriramulu had bribed a Supreme Court judge with Rs 160 crore in a mining case in 2010 to get a favourable verdict.

Sriramulu is one of the two BJP MPs, after State party president and Shivamogga MP B S Yeddyurappa, who have been allowed to contest in the assembly elections in Karnataka.

Incidentally, Sriramulu is contesting from two seats of Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district and Badami in Bagalkote district, where he is pitted against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The Congress party, which uploaded a video on Thursday evening on its YouTube channel, alleged that Sriramulu was caught in a sting operation talking about bribing the Supreme Court judge with Rs160 crore in a mining case.

The Supreme Court by order dated on May 10, 2010, allowed Obulapuram Mining Company of Reddy brothers allowed to start mining.

KPCC Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao and Home Minister B Ramalinga Reddy alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who levelled charges against the Congress government has not spoken a word about alleged bribe paid by Sriramulu to Supreme Court judge.

The Congress party demanded a high level probe into the alleged video showing Sriramulu fixing judges for a favourable verdict in the Supreme Court.

Former Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan was then the Chief Justice of India at the time.

"The videos that have surfaced on today show how Sriramulu & middlemen Captain Reddy, Balan, Swamiji Rajnish & CJI Balakrishnan’s son in law Sreenijan discuss bribe deals in order to get a favourable judgement from SC in the Obalipuram case": @dineshgrao #ReddyStingBJPExposed pic.twitter.com/xDSzCevbhJ

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 10, 2018

"Despite supporting corrupt & jailed leaders in their own party, the PM comes to Karnataka & levels baseless allegations against us.

This big expose has shown how corrupt Reddy-Srimarulu gang bribed the CJI. Will BJP & PM Modi answer?": @dineshgrao#ReddyStingBJPExposed pic.twitter.com/m0WyvwU9t7

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 10, 2018

"Just one day before CJI Balakrishnan retired, he passed an order in a case related to Reddy Brothers Mining Company.

Now several videos have been released which show how bribe deals were done btw CJI's son-in-law & Sriramulu/Reddy Brothers": @dineshgrao #ReddyStingBJPExposed https://t.co/eVymPGbMHA

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 10, 2018

"Sriramulu is now BJP's star campaigner. We demand that PM break his silence & answer the people of Karnataka on why the Bellary gang has been brought back to loot Karnataka.

We demand an immediate high level enquiry into this bribery scandal": @dineshgrao#ReddyStingBJPExposed

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 10, 2018

On BJP President Amit Shah claiming that the Congress produced a fake video, Rao said: "Let him prove whether it is fake or real."

"Shah is not a forensic expert to debunk the video. Let there be an impartial and independent investigation," the KPCC leader said.

He said the video was leaked following non-payment of Rs 60 crore by the Reddy brothers and Sriramulu to the son-in-law of former Chief Justice of India Balakrishnan and other agents involved in the deal.

The alleged video is being debated in the Kannada TV channels, which however, have been asked to not to air in view of the model election code of conduct.

Video uploaded by INC Karnataka: