JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said his party is considering a proposal to lodge a complaint with the Election Commission against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for alleged suppression of facts by failing to disclose the pending police cases against him while filing an affidavit to contest the Assembly elections in 2008 and 2013.
Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the public prosecutor in a Mysuru court, while opposing bail to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s aide K. Marigowda, had listed out 11 cases that had been booked by the Jayapura and Mysuru South police stations against Mr. Marigowda in 2007 to project him as a “habitual offender”.
Incidentally, the name of Mr. Siddaramaiah, who was then an MLA representing Chamundeshwari Assembly segment, also figures in 10 out of the 11 police cases along with Mr. Marigowda.
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Referring to Superintendent of Mysuru district police Abhinav Khare’s clarification that all the cases were either withdrawn or a C report had been filed in 2009, Mr. Kumaraswamy sought to know why Mr. Siddaramaiah failed to disclose the cases in the affidavit filed when he contested the 2008 polls.
When the cases were closed only in 2009, it is understandable that the question of disclosing the cases during the 2013 polls does not arise. But, the JD (S) leader alleged that Mr. Siddaramaiah did not reveal the police cases during the 2008 Assembly polls.
Reacting to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s contention that the cases were either withdrawn or C report had been filed, Mr. Kumaraswamy urged Mr. Siddaramaiah to come clean by presenting the documents to prove his argument. Pointing out that a C report is filed when the accused are not traceable, the JD(S) leader said the cases in which C report had been filed can be reopened.
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He said the party will discuss the issue with legal experts before considering a move to lodge a complaint with the Election Commission for suppression of facts by Mr. Siddaramaiah under the Representation of the People Act.