NICE row: Deve Gowda to wait till SC hearing

Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda has said that he was waiting for the Supreme Court hearing on the dispute related to NICE Limited - the promoter of Bengaluru-Mysuru infrastructure corridor project, to decide on his next course of action on the issue.

The apex court has posted the matter to August 29.

 “Recently, I had said that I would keep off from the controversy over the project. Following this, there were reports which said NICE Managing Director Baba Kalyani had claimed that the stock value of his company went up by 15%. People suspect whether I have colluded with the company. I will not do such blunder at this stage of my life,” Gowda said at a press meet here on Saturday.

He said that as per the Supreme Court’s direction, a meeting was held between the representatives of the state government and the NICE on May 14 this year. The government has refused to divulge the details of the meeting even under the Right to Information Act. The report also has not been submitted to the court.

The House committee headed by Law Minister T B Jayachandra to look into the allegations against NICE was constituted a year ago. “We do not know whether the panel is still functioning. The report won’t be of any use if it is submitted after the court verdict,” he added.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was the finance minister when the state government and NICE entered into the framework agreement. He is aware of all the irregularities pertaining to the road work. “I am confident that Siddaramaiah will not commit any mistake in handling the issue,” Gowda said. He said he would decide on his plans after knowing the government’s stance in the court.