HC stays K'taka govt enquiry into previous government's "40% commission" on contracts
Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka has stayed a Government Order constituting a one-man enquiry commission led by retired High Court judge H N Nagamohan Das to investigate the allegations of the ''40 per cent commission'' in government contracts alleged by some contractors.
The State Government had issued the said order on August 5, 2023 to probe the alleged commission in works allotted in the Urban Development, Water Resources, Minor Irrigation and Rural Development, Public Works and Panchayat Raj departments between 2019-20 to 2022-23.
Justice M Nagaprasanna who heard a petition filed by several contractors stayed the Government Order on December 7 stating, ''Prima facie, it appears that the State is taking different stand on the score of change in government. Unless the State would justify its action for issuing the impugned order or constituting a One-Man Enquiry Commission, all further proceedings shall remain stayed.'' A Special Investigating Cell has been constituted for the purpose of investigating and enquiry of all the works which has been challenged in the petition filed by Nikshep Infra Projects and 44 other contractors.
The Additional Government Advocate was directed to accept the notice for the Urban Development Department, Karnataka Government. The contractors have also made the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) as the second respondent in the case though no relief is sought from the civic body.
''BBMP has been made a party for the sake of completeness,'' the petition has claimed.
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Fan tries to die by suicide over Nikhil Kumaraswamy's bypoll loss
Bengaluru: Channapatna JD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who lost the byelection to C.P. Yogeshwar of Congress, on Sunday consoled a fan who reportedly attempted to end his life and requested him not to repeat such acts.
Manjunath, fondly called Abhi, had even penned a letter before taking the dangerous step. Nikhil, who called on Manjunath at the latter’s home in Kudloor in Channapatna, expressed shock and sadness over the incident.
Nikhil Kumaraswamy reassured Manjunath, expressing his support during the difficult time. He told him that he was deeply troubled to learn of this incident and emphasised that he would stand by him. Nikhil also promised to offer assistance in any way he could, including helping him secure employment opportunities in the future, as reported by the Deccan Herald.
He also reminded Manjunath of the importance of his children’s well-being, urging him to focus on their future. “Please, look at the faces of your growing children. Even I have a three-year-old son. The children are young, let us take care of their future also. I will arrange some job opportunities for you. I might not be an MLA but this is a challenge. I will get you employed,” he said.
Nikhil told media persons that he is extremely hurt more by Manjunath’s attempt to die than by his loss in the election. “At 7:30 a.m., we got a message that in Valetoopu, Manjunath had consumed poison yesterday. In Channapatna, our workers and leaders have built this party with zeal. Let the admiration be there in your hearts but if it crosses the line, your families get hurt and we get very pained by it,” he was quoted as saying by the publication.
Speaking of his byelection loss, Nikhil reiterated that the JD(S) had got its traditional votes, but that the votes of a particular community went against the party.
“Deve Gowda gave reservation to a community. We tried our last attempt to take that community into confidence. But they conveyed to us that they do not require us. In future, we will take other communities into confidence,” he remarked in a veiled reference to Muslims.
Nikhil lost the election by a margin of 25,413 votes to Congress candidate C.P. Yogeshwar.
