Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy demands SIT probe into allegation of Rs 50 cr for 50 Cong MLAs
Mysuru (PTI): Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday demanded a SIT probe into Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's allegation that BJP offered Rs 50 crore each to 50 Congress MLAs to topple his government in Karnataka.
He said the ruling Congress should utilise its power and get the bribery case investigated.
The chief minister on Wednesday claimed that the BJP offered bribes to 50 Congress MLAs but none of them agreed for it.
As a result, the BJP is now targeting and framing him in false cases such as MUDA site allotment scam, Siddaramaiah said at an event in Mysuru.
The Lokayukta police, which is investigating the MUDA case on a special court’s direction, have registered a case against Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi B M and brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy.
Kumaraswamy termed the chief minister's statement on bribery irresponsible.
"Such statements shouldn’t be given as they look like the ones given by bafoons," the Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries told reporters.
"He (Siddaramaiah) has formed various Special Investigation Teams. Let him form one more SIT to probe this case also," Kumaraswamy said.
"If he does not form an SIT to probe this case then people will doubt him and his Cabinet colleagues," he added.
Regarding Karnataka Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan’s racist slur 'Kaalia' and 'Kariyanna' against him, Kumaraswamy said he would wait till November 23 when the counting of votes for the Channapatna bypoll gets over.
Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is contesting the election on the JD(S) ticket as an NDA candidate from Channapatna in Ramanagara.
During an election campaign in the minority pocket in Channapatna constituency, Khan called Kumaraswamy as 'Kaalia Kumaraswamy' (Black Kumaraswamy).
On Khan's claim that Kumaraswamy used to call him 'Kulla' (dwarf in Kannada), the union minister said he is not the one who has come from such a background to be called as 'Kaalia' and address others as 'Kulla'. "This statement shows his culture. This reflects on the culture of the state government," he said.
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700 kg drugs seized, 8 Iranians caught in anti-narcotics operation along Gujarat coast
New Delhi, Nov 15: A joint operation by anti-narcotics agencies led to the seizure of about 700 kg of drugs and the arrest of eight Iranian nationals from Indian territorial waters off the Gujarat coast around Porbandar on Friday.
The street value of the seized Methamphetamine, a synthetic recreational variety of narcotics, could be anywhere between Rs 2,500-3,500 crore in the international market, according to Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials.
An operation codenamed 'Sagar Manthan- 4' was launched based on intelligence inputs to intercept an un-registered vessel, without an AIS (automatic identification system) or an electronic boat or ship-tracking indicator, that will be entering the Indian waters with drugs, the NCB said in a statement.
The suspect vessel was identified and "interdicted" by the Navy by mobilising its maritime patrol assets (ships) and the seizure of the drugs and apprehensions took place on Friday, it said.
"A huge consignment of about 700 kg of Methamphetamine was interdicted in Indian Territorial waters. During this operation, eight foreign nationals were arrested who claim to be Iranians," the NCB said.
The eight men do not have any identity documents, it said.
The operation was carried out jointly by the NCB, Navy and Gujarat Police Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).
The Indian Navy in a "coordinated operation" with the NCB and Gujarat Police intercepted a suspicious boat leading to the seizure of the drugs, a Navy spokesperson said in New Delhi.
"This is the second major successful coordinated anti-narcotics operations at sea by the Navy this year," he said.
The navy said it is committed to ensuring a safe and secure maritime environment while preventing illegal use of the seas.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the operation stands out as a stellar example of the government's commitment to the vision and the seamless coordination among our agencies in achieving the same.
"Pursuing PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's vision for a drug-free Bharat, our agencies today busted an international drug trafficking cartel and seized over approx. 700 kg of contraband meth in Gujarat," Shah wrote on 'X'.
As much as 3,500 kgs of drugs being trafficked through the maritime route has been seized by these agencies this year with the arrest of 11 Iranians and 14 Pakistani nationals in three cases.
All these foreigners are currently lodged in jail awaiting court trial, as per the NCB.
"These significant operational achievements in the Indian territorial waters are a testament to our resolve to eradicate the scourge of drugs from India to realize our vision of a 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' (drugs-free India) by 2047," it said.
The NCB said the Union government has recently created 111 posts, including 5 superintendent of police-level posts, in the agency in addition to 425 posts created over the last 2 years.
Pursuing PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's vision for a drug-free Bharat, our agencies today busted an international drug trafficking cartel and seized over approx. 700 kg of contraband meth in Gujarat. The joint operation carried out by the NCB, Indian Navy, and Gujarat Police stands…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 15, 2024
#IndianNavy in a coordinated operation with @narcoticsbureau & Gujarat Police intercepted a suspicious boat leading to seizure of approx 700 kg of meth in Gujarat.
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) November 15, 2024
This is the second major successful coordinated Anti Narcotics Operations at sea by the Navy this year.
Committed… pic.twitter.com/LcBEOkpJy7
