Six to Seven Karnataka Ministers will have to resign if documents are released: H D Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru: Hitting out at the Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka on a host of issues, including 'corruption', JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday said if he released the documents in his possession, six to seven state Ministers will have to resign.
He claimed that the Congress administration was trying to "fix" him in some cases, after he began cornering the state government in connection with some alleged irregularities and started discussing them in public.
"Siddaramaiah had accused (previous BJP government) of being 40 per cent commission govt and came to power. Today his own party is saying after this government coming to power it is more than 40 per cent (commission). Mr Siddaramaiah, did people give you power for this?" Kumaraswamy asked.
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Addressing reporters here, he said, "I have things (with me), I'm not running away. If I release the documents I have, six to seven Ministers will have to resign...I will release, will not run away with fear, no hit and run...." Targetting the CM on the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case, the JD(S) state president asked, "If he (Siddaramaiah) had no role in the Mysuru (MUDA) scam, then why are certain decisions are being made by the cabinet hurriedly?" citing the government withdrawing general consent given to CBI to investigate cases in the State.
Accusing the government of bringing in a new kind of legal system in the state as per which arrests are being made in several cases just because someone gives a complaint , he said, "but in your (Siddaramaiah) case despite 48 hours, after the court issued directions, FIR was not registered." The Lokayukta police on Friday registered an FIR against Siddaramaiah and others in the MUDA site allotment case, following a Special Court in Bengaluru ordering a probe against him.
Charging the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Home Minister G Parameshwara with using the police department and officials, in their efforts to end few people politically, Kumaraswamy asked, "how many officials have you promised Bengaluru Commissioner, CID chief posts? and what are you making them do for it?" ".....in the last one year, before I joined hands with the BJP and from the day I started targeting your government, how many meetings have you held at officials and ministers level? Don't I have information as to what you are up to?" he questioned.
Kumaraswamy had on Friday appeared before the Lokayukta police for questioning in connection with a land denotification case.
Noting that he had voluntarily appeared before Lokayukta police, the Union Minister alleged that wrong information was spread among a section of media that Lokayukta had served him a notice, to divert the attention of the public from the CM's case that is in the limelight.
"Gangenahalli denotification case is just for diversion nothing else, they (govt) can't do anything (to me) further in the case... I have signed a file, but I have not ordered denotification. I had said in the noting on the file I signed that after scrutinizing legally, see what action can be taken (to officials). I have not said to denotify. Let them (govt) do any probe, I'm not worried," he said.
Hitting out at the CM for claiming that BJP and JD(S) were conspiring to destabilise his government, Kumaraswamy, also a former Chief Minister, said people gave Siddaramaiah/Congress the mandate for five years, "but what are you doing? I have pain that today no discussion is happening in the state on developmental issues or on issues concerning people." "What has got prominence in Karnataka today is the police department and some scam related issues," he said.
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SC regularises interim bail granted to Gujarat-based journalist in money laundering case
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday confirmed its earlier order of granting interim bail to journalist Mahesh Langa in a money laundering case linked to a matter involving an alleged financial fraud lodged by the Enforcement Directorate at Ahmedabad.
The top court on December 15 last year had granted the interim bail to Langa and fixed the case for further hearing on April 10.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the probe agency, and said the interim order is confirmed.
The bench agreed to the contention of Mehta that the observations made in the bail order shall not be construed as remarks on merits of the case. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal had represented Langa.
Earlier, opposing the bail plea, the solicitor general had said, "Journalists extorting money and saying that if you do not pay, I will write against you is a serious offence."
The bench had granted the relief and ordered a day-to-day trial in the case and imposed certain conditions on the journalist, including asking him not to write any article in any media outlet about his sub-judice case and seek any adjournments before the special court.
"The petitioner will furnish the bail bonds to the satisfaction of the designated special court under the PMLA," it said, adding, "The special court is directed to take up the case on a day-to-day basis for consideration of charge and if charge is framed, recording the statements of all the nine witnesses."
The bench directed Langa and his counsel in the trial court to extend "full cooperation to the special court", and said "no adjournment shall be sought or permitted on the ground that quashing proceedings are separately pending before the high court".
It said this condition is being imposed as the high court has not granted a stay on the trial proceedings.
"The Directorate of Enforcement shall also cooperate with the special judge for taking up the case on a day-to-day basis," the apex court said.
Langa will be at liberty to raise all legal contentions, objections and defence pleas, and place the material for the special court's consideration in accordance with law, it added.
"The petitioner shall not publish or write any article in his position as an assistant editor of a newspaper with respect to the allegations, which are sub-judice against him, before the special judge at Ahmedabad," the bench said.
It also made it clear that the interim bail is being granted subject to the petitioner's "good conduct and behaviour".
On July 31, last year, the Gujarat High Court rejected Langa's bail plea in the case on the grounds that if he is granted the relief, prejudice would be caused to the prosecution case.
On February 25, 2025, the ED said it arrested Langa in connection with a money-laundering investigation linked to an alleged financial fraud.
The journalist was first arrested in October 2024 in a Goods and Services Tax (GST) fraud case.
The money laundering case against Langa stems from two FIRs filed by the Ahmedabad Police on charges of fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating and causing wrongful loss of lakhs of rupees to certain people.
