Karnataka govt orders judicial probe into '40 per cent commission scam'
Bengaluru, Aug 18: The Karnataka government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the allegations of demand for '40 per cent commission' for public projects during the previous BJP-led dispensation in the state.
Three months after coming to power, the ruling Congress on Thursday passed an order setting up the inquiry panel led by retired HC judge Justice Nagamohan Das, fulfilling one of its key promises made in the run-up to assembly polls.
According to the order, the commission will inquire into the activities of the departments where large-scale public works are taken up.
The Karnataka State Contractors' Association had written to the Prime Minister as well as the then CM about 40 per cent commission being charged on all public projects.
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Even before the commencement of work, 25 to 30 per cent commission is paid to the public representatives while the remaining is paid after completion of work, the order explained.
"However, no action was taken on these serious allegations at the government level. The new government wants to bring transparency in the administration at the initial level itself," it said.
The commission will investigate whether administrative approvals were given as per rules and quality of works.
The probe panel will also ascertain whether the estimates were in accordance with the prevailing schedule of rates and necessity to revise estimates in the event of cost escalation.
During the inquiry, the departments concerned will have to submit their files to the panel, it said.
During the election campaigning, the Congress raised the issue of '40 per cent commission' to target the BJP government.
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Informing Pakistan ahead of Operation Sindoor was a crime: Rahul Gandhi on Jaishankar's 'admission'
New Delhi, May 17 (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at the government for "informing" Pakistan about targeting terror infrastructure as part of Operation Sindoor, saying it was a crime and asking who had authorised it.
In a post on X, Gandhi questioned External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar for publicly admitting that the government of India (GOI) had informed Pakistan of the action and asked how many aircraft the Indian Air Force lost as a result.
"Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that GOI did it. Who authorised it? How many aircraft did our air force lose as a result?" said Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha.
He also shared an undated video of Jaishankar saying India had informed Pakistan of the action against terror infrastructure on its soil.
Jaishankar can be heard saying in the video, "At the start of the operation, we had sent a message to Pakistan, saying, 'We are striking at terrorist infrastructure and we are not striking at the military.'"
"So the military has the option of standing out and not interfering in this process. They chose not to take that good advice," the minister can be heard saying in the clip.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB), however, has debunked claims that Jaishankar had said India informed Pakistan ahead of Operation Sindoor. In a post on X, the PIB's Fact Check Unit said the minister had not made any such statement and that he was being misquoted.
Operation Sindoor was the Indian offensive against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 17, 2025
EAM has publicly admitted that GOI did it.
1. Who authorised it?
2. How many aircraft did our airforce lose as a result? pic.twitter.com/KmawLLf4yW
