23 June,2011 06:06 AM IST | | B V Shiva Shankar
As threat of exposing Yeddyurappa's involvement in a Rs500 cr scam fizzles out; Kumaraswamy alleges that CM's sons acquired a cement factory
Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's promise to expose a fresh scam against CM B S Yeddyurappa was nowhere near the Rs 500 crore threat he had promised. Instead he gave a speech about Yeddyurappa's sons taking over a cement factory and misusing power, which left the CM unfazed.
Bubble bursts: Kumaraswamy was expected to release incriminating
documentsu00a0 showing the CM and national leaders of the BJP accepting
huge kickbacks from various corporate houses. File pic
He was expected to release incriminating documents at the press conference in Delhi, showing the CM and national leaders of the BJP accepting huge kickbacks from various corporate houses. However, he chose to talk about the cement factory takeover instead.
Interestingly, even Siddaramiah's threat to expose the CM and his family members for evading income tax to the tune of Rs 339 crore turned out to be empty, as he could not present documents on Tuesday, when he called a press conference to reveal the details.
Siddaramiah said, "I never said I would give documents. I only said that there are chances of the CM's family evading income tax and the Union Finance Department could investigate."
Something concrete?
According to Kumaraswamy, Yeddyurappa's sons B Y Raghavendra and B Y Vijendra of acquiring Belgaum-based Ratna Cements (Yadwad) Ltd after clearing debts on its behalf and influencing the government to waive off the interest totaling Rs 16.38 crore.
He alleged that the duo and former Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu put Rs 68 crore into the company in the form of un-secured loan and later transferred the shares from the company to their own Indivar Kutir Pvt Ltd.
Firing blanks?
He also accused the government of illegally allotting limestone-mining lease of 1,417.5 acre in Yadwad village to the company illegally. "This was not the real ammunition we expected to come from Kumaraswamy's arsenal. Anyway, it is good for us that he toned down his attack," said the BJP leader. In an apparent bid to cover up the drama, Yeddyurappa criticised Kumaraswamy and Siddaramiah while addressing the media following the allegations. He even threatened to take them to court.
"I am seriously thinking of filing defamation cases against them. I am even contemplating on releasing a charge sheet against Kumaraswamy and his father H D Deve Gowda listing their misdeeds." However, Kumaraswamy camp is strong in its denial of being bought by Yeddyurappa. "In the first place the scam we have exposed today is not as mild as you think. Secondly, there are many more scams to come in future," said a spokesman of Kumaraswamy.
No truth test
Now its official that the swearing match expected to be held between Yeddyurappa and Kumaraswamy before Lord Manjunatha at the Dharmasthala shrine is cancelled. With the seers of prominent matts mediating between the duo, they had agreed to drop it. "I spoke to Kumaraswamy and he said he would drop it if Yeddyurappa agrees. I hope the CM will not peruse," said Viswasa Tirtha Swamy of Pejawara Matt.
