From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Sept 23: Training guns on the BJP regime in Karnataka by levelling serious allegations of corruption against Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, his son B Y Vijayendra, son-in-law Virupaksha Maradi and grandson ShashidharMaradi, the opposition Congress party has demanded immediate resignation of the Chief Minister and a judicial probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge or State High Court Chief Justice.

"The BJP government is engulfed in clutches of corruption and dented-tainted leaders rule the roost,’’ AICC General Secretary and Congress party in charge Randeep Singh Surjewala flanked by Congress Opposition leader in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and KPCC President D K Shivakumar said at a press conference at the Congress office on Wednesday.

"The Chief Minister Yeddyurappa must resign in view of the stinging allegations of unabashed corruption,’’ the Congress leaders said asserting that ``judicial probe is the only way to unravel the stench of corruption.’’

They reminded the BJP what Mahatma Gandhi had said ‘misgovernance and corruption always go together’, and claimed that the deafening noise of corruption allegations has once again engulfed the Yeddyurappa government in the State.’’

"The alleged collusion and bribery in the Rs 666.22 Crore worth project for construction of apartments by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has bewildered, shocked and appalledeveryone,’’ Surjewala said.

The alleged collusion and complicity of a contractor supposedly paying bribes to Chief Minister’s family members; the so called audio conversation of Chief Minster’s son Vijayendra, the series of alleged WhatsApp conversations between the contractor and the Chief Minster’s grandson Shashidhar Maradi involving transferring of crores of rupees in cash and also through RTGS into bank account; the alleged reference to ‘V’ (supposedly Vijayendra) in WhatsApp conversation between the contractor and Shashidhar Maradi, the blatant money laundering through seven Kolkata-based Shell companies from Kolkata to Bengaluru; the transfer of money to companies of Chief Minister’s Grandson, Shashidhar Maradi and the involvement of multiple person including officers and functionaries allegedly working at Chief Minister’s residence/home office, he alleged.

"If these facts are true, none of it could have happened without the concurrence, collusion and complicity of the Chief Minister. Propriety and probity in public life so often invoked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in shape of ‘Na Kahoonga Na Khane Doonga’ warrants answers from Yediyurappa,’’ he said.

"Proprietary and probity in public life demands a complete, thorough and independent investigation of the allegations of corruption against Yediyurappa and his family members,’’ Surjewala said pointing out that: "This is only possible by way of a time bound and an independent probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge or by the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court himself aided andassisted by an SIT.’’

"Until then, Yediyurappa must resign as Chief Minister or should be sacked forthwith,’’ he demanded.

Surjewala and the State Congress leaders posed the demanded answers from the Chief Minister to the questions:

1(i) Is it correct that Chief Minster’s son, Vijayendra was in clear knowledge of Rs 12 crore bribe having been taken by BDA Commissioner from the contractor allegedly in the name of ChiefMinster and his Son?

1(ii) Why was an FIR for corruption under Prevention of Corruption Act, extortion and bribery bymisuse of official position then not registered against the BDA commissioner and the contractor?

1(iii) Why was CM’s son Vijayendra merely asking for transfer of BDA commissioner, instead of filing a formal complaint of corruption and under other offences of IPC?

1(iv) Why was CM’s son Vijayendra asking the contractor to recover the money back from BDA Commissioner, instead of lodging an FIR against the BDA Commissioner and the contractor?

1(v) Why did the Chief Minister Yediyurappa not proceed to cancel the contract and order registration of an FIR as allegation of bribery had clearly been disclosed?

2(i) Why was the contractor thereafter supposedly paying cash money to Shashidhar Maradi, grandson of CM, as disclosed by the alleged WhatsApp conversations?

2(ii) Do the alleged WhatsApp conversations dated 14-10-2019, 19-10-2019, 21-10-2019, 25-10-2019, 01-11-2019, 04-11-2019, 20-11-2019, 29-11-2019, 28-01-2020, 29-01-2020, 05-05-2020, 06-05-2020, 11-06- 2020 and 21-07-2020 regarding delivery of money by contractor to Shashidhar Maradi (Grandson of CM) not disclose a case of bribery?

2(iii) Do the alleged WhatsApp conversations dated 25-06-2020 and 16-07-2020 between the contractor and Shashidhar Maradi (grandson of CM) regarding transfer of Rs 7.40 crore in theaccount of Shashidhar not disclose alleged payment of bribe?

2(iv) Isn’t the dubious role of Manju, Umesh and Sanjay (whose mobile numbers are disclosed in alleged WhatsApp conversations) in transfer of bribes clearly made out? Were they allegedlyworking at the residence/home office of Chief Minster Yediyurappa?

2(v) Should the role of CM’s son-in-law, Virupakshappa Maradi (father of Shashidhar) in the entire bribery saga, be also probed as his residential address was given to the contractor in the alleged WhatsApp conversation of 05-05-2020? Was any bribe amount delivered to him or tosomeone else at his behest at his residence?

3(i) Isn’t it clear from the alleged WhatsApp conversations that CM’s grandson Shashidhar Maradi and CM’s son Vijayendra were acting in concert with each other? If this is correct, were they bothnot in complete knowledge of payments being received from the contractor?

3(ii) Doesn’t the alleged WhatsApp conversations dated 29-01-2020, 05-03-2020, 03-06-2020, 06-08- 2020, 07-08-2020 and 14-08-2020 between the contractor and Shashidhar Maradi (CM’s grandson)bring out a nexus for release of payments in lieu of money being paid?

3(iii) Does the reference in the alleged WhatsApp conversations of 06-08-2020 and 07-08-2020 between the contractor and CM’s grandson Shashidhar Maradi refer to Vijayendra (CM’s Son) as ‘V’, referring to his intervention in favor of the contractor?

4(i) Isn’t it clear that the Rs 5 crore allegedly received from the contractor by Shashidhar Maradi (grandson of CM) was recirculated through seven Shell companies (namely REMAC Distributors Pvt Ltd., Shakambari Merchants Pvt. Ltd, Strategic Vincom Pvt. Ltd., Jagdamba Cosmosales Pvt. Ltd., Gannayak Commodities Trade Pvt. Ltd., Navteek Creation Pvt. Ltd. and Rajgharana Sales Pvt. Ltd.) back into the Belgravia Enterprises Limited (of which Shashidhar Maradi is a director)?

4(ii) Wasn’t this amount of Rs 5 crore transferred from these seven Kolkata based Shell companies to Belgravia Enterprises Limited in Bengaluru between 13-03-2020 and 22-07-2020 during COVIDlockdown period, when all economic activities had come to a halt?

4(iii) Is it not correct that this amount of Rs 5 crore was transferred by Belgravia Enterprises Limited to VSS Estates Pvt. Ltd? Is it correct that CM’s grandson Shashidhar Maradi is a director in VSS Estates Pvt. Ltd. too?

4(iv) Is it correct that this amount of Rs 5 crore was then circulated to VSS Works LLP?

4(v) Is this not a clear cut case of money laundering and an offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act?

5. If all these allegation are prima facie correct, hasn’t the Chief Minster Yediyurappa irreparably compromised his position disentitling him from continuing as Chief Minister of theState even for a single minute?