Former minister K.S. Eshwarappa has demanded the State Government hand over the investigation into the violence reported in Shivamogga during the Id Milad procession on October 1 to the National Investigation Agency.
In a press conference in Shivamogga on Saturday, Mr. Eshwarappa said activists of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) were involved in the incidents reported on the day. The police had already arrested three of the seven accused with links to the PFI. “As the involvement of the PFI is evident, the State Government should hand over the case to the NIA”, he said.
On I-T raids at Bengaluru contractor’s premises
Referring to the seizure of cash in the properties that belonged to a contractor in Bengaluru, Mr. Eshwarappa demanded a CBI inquiry to find out the source of the money. The State Government recently released ₹600 crore related to BBMP works, he noted.
“It is said the seized amount is said to be the commission for the funds released. During the election campaign ahead of the Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah repeatedly said that if the Congress came to power, it would treat the State as an ATM for the AICC”, he recalled.
Answering a question about the reports of officers in Mysuru demanding a bribe from a senior artist after inviting him to perform during Dasara celebrations, Mr. Eshwarappa said he had never heard of taking commissions from the artists. “All that I knew all these days was that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his son Yathindra, DCM D.K. Shivakumar and his brother D.K. Suresh collect money. I did not know about taking commissions from artists as well”, he said.
BJP district president T.D. Megharaj, took exception to Shivamogga Police booking a suo motu case against Eshwarappa on charges of making provocative speech. Mr. Megharaj questioned the police about why no suo motu case was registered when organizers of the Id Milad procession displayed objectionable posters.
Shivamogga MLA S.N. Channabasappa and others were present on the occasion.
