K.S. Eshwarappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, has said that he would file a defamation suit against anti-graft activist Vinod B. who had lodged a complaint against him recently.
It may be mentioned here that Mr. Vinod had lodged a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 8 seeking a probe into alleged benami assets owned by Mr. Eshwarappa and his family members in India and abroad. In December 2012 too, Mr. Vinod has lodged a private complaint with the Special Lokayukta Court alleging that Mr. Eshwarappa had owned assets disproportionate to his known source of income. Based on the complaint, the Lokayukta police had conducted raids on Mr. Eshwarappa’s residences in Shivamogga and Bengaluru and on commercial establishments owned by him. The Court had dismissed the complaints in December 2016 on the grounds that the complainant had failed to furnish evidence to establish the charges.
Speaking to press persons here on Sunday, Mr. Eshwarappa denied allegations of owning benami assets. He said that the information on the assets owned by him and on his financial transactions were provided to the Lokayukta and that he was open for any probe into the issue. A similar complaint lodged by Mr. Vinod with Special Lokayukta Court has been dismissed, he said.
Mr. Eshwarappa also alleged that Mr. Vinod was trying to blackmail him and bring disrepute to his name by lodging complaints against hm with various investigation agencies. He added that, as per the suggestion of his advocates, he would initiate defamatory proceedings against Mr. Vinod.
