ADGP claims former Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy threatened him to stop probe, lodges police complaint

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ADGP M Chandra Sekhar, who leads the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is investigating illegal mining cases, on Friday filed a police complaint against Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy for reportedly threatening him to halt the probe against the former CM, PTI reported.

According to PTI, the probe against Kumaraswamy related to allegations that he illegally approved a mining lease of 550-acre to Sri Sai Venkateswara Minerals (SSVM) in Bellary district in violation of law during his tenure as Karnataka CM from 2006 to 2008.

He is currently the union minister for the theft and heavy industries.

"The SIT, after preparing the investigation report and having found substantial evidence and material to prosecute the accused (Kumaraswamy), had written to H E Governor of Karnataka seeking sanction for prosecution against the accused Sh H D Kumaraswamy on 21/11/2023," Sekhar said in his complaint lodged at Sanjay Nagar police station, PTI cited.

After reviewing the report, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot requested certain clarifications in a letter dated July 29, 2024, he stated.

This letter along with other documents was received by the SIT after 11 days on the eve of August 8. The clarification sought was sent. The clarification was sent on August 19 but the governor sent back the file on August 29 with a request to translate it from Kannada to English, the ADGP said, PTI reported.

"The SIT is just one step away from prosecuting this accused Kumaraswamy," Sekhar said.

Kumaraswamy, currently out on bail, addressed a series of press briefings on September 28 "and made false and malicious allegations and threats to me", he claimed.

Sekhar alleged that this move was made to discourage him and the SIT from continuing the investigation against Kumaraswamy.

"The accused has, with a pre-designed plan to derail the investigation being conducted by the SIT against him, verbally attacked me and threatened to have me shifted from my cadre to another state," he said

"Very clearly, the accused is intimidating me by threatening to have me shifted from Karnataka and also cause trouble to my family members. The accused by his conduct has threatened me and my family of injury to forbear and prevent me from proceeding further with the prosecution of the accused. This act of the accused is punishable under section 224 BNS 2023," the ADGP said in his complaint, PTI reported.

(With inputs from PTI)