Will decide based on SIT report: CM Siddaramaiah on BJP's demand to sack Minister Nagendra
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said he has not sought resignation of Minister B Nagendra, who is facing allegations over illegal money transfer from a state-run corporation, and any decision in this regard will be taken based on the probe report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to investigate it.
He also questioned the opposition BJP, asking as to who were they to fix a deadline for the government to remove Nagendra, the Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare, from the post.
BJP has sought a CBI probe into the alleged illegal money transfer case involving the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd, and also demanded immediate dismissal of Nagendra from the Ministry.
"There is no threat or anything, I have not sought resignation (of Nagendra)... SIT report has not yet come, it has been constituted only a couple of days ago. Let's see what they will give in their report. Once they submit their report we will take a decision," Siddaramaiah told reporters in response to a question.
Asked whether he has sought any explanation from Nagendra, he said: "I have not yet asked. I will have to go through the preliminary report. After going through the report, we will decide."
On BJP demanding the Minister's resignation and giving an ultimatum to the government till June 6 for the same or else threatening a state-wide protest, the Chief Minister said: "Who are they to give us an ultimatum? Opposition party is to protest against injustice, but they (BJP) won't protest against injustice, they protest by speaking lies."
Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said the government will not protect anyone in the case and will take action in accordance with law, irrespective of whoever is involved.
The illegal money transfer came to light after accounts superintendent at the Corporation, Chandrashekhar P, died by suicide on May 26, leaving behind a death note.
It revealed an unauthorised transfer of Rs 187 crore belonging to the corporation from its bank account, and from that, Rs 88.62 crore was illegally moved to various accounts allegedly belonging to "well-known" IT companies and a Hyderabad-based cooperative bank.
Chandrashekhar has allegedly named the corporation's now suspended Managing Director J G Padmanabh, accounts officer Parashuram G Durugannavar, and Union Bank of India Chief Manager Suchismita Rawal in the note, while also stating that the "Minister" had issued oral orders for transferring the funds.
The state government on Friday constituted an SIT team headed by Manish Kharbikar, Additional Director General of Police, Economic Offences, at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Bengaluru, to conduct the probe.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
