Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday told the Legislative Assembly that 59 cases of corruption which were declared “closed” during the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah will be “reopened” and referred to the Karnataka Lokayukta for further investigation.
The Siddaramaiah government not only weakened the Lokayukta by creating a separate Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) but also marked ‘B” reports in cases of corruption against the Chief Minister, several Ministers, and MLAs during the Congress government. All cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act were transferred to the ACB and declared “closed” by the Siddaramaiah government, Mr. Bommai said.
All cases of corruption before the ACB are now referred to the Karnataka Lokayukta. “Let me see who is going to jail in cases of corruption,” Mr. Bommai said. He also listed out cases of alleged corruption in the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) denotification. The judicial commission was formed to hush up alleged “re-do” cases during the Congress government. The Congress leaders should come out clean before making charges against the BJP government, he said.
The government was ready to investigate the charge of 40% commission made against it by the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association. But the association members have failed to provide evidence to order a probe by the Lokayukta, he said.
