Ex-BJP MLA paid Chilume Rs 18 lakh for 'survey'

BMTC chairperson and former BJP lawmaker N S Nandiesha Reddy paid Rs 18 lakh to Chilume Trust and its affiliate, which have been accused of impersonating election officials in order to collect data from citizens.

According to Reddy's 2018 Assembly election affidavit, he paid Rs 17.5 lakh as an 'advance to sundry creditors' of Chilume Trust. Other than that, Reddy showed an advance of Rs 50,000 to Chilume Group as well.

In his 2018 affidavit, the BJP leader had declared assets worth Rs 303 crore, including that of his spouse.

Reddy had contested the 2018 election from K R Puram where he lost to Congress's B A Basavaraja (Byrathi).

Reddy told DH that he paid Chilume Trust for the survey work it did at his behest. "I had commissioned a voter verification survey before the assembly election. In K R Puram, there were allegations over electoral rolls. I had even filed a complaint with the Election Commission. But, before filing the complaint, I wanted to get a survey done. I paid for the survey," he said.

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Evidently, this suggests that the Chilume Trust, registered as a non-political entity, engaged with politicians for chargeable services. It had approached the BBMP offering help with electoral roll revision free of cost.

Reddy clarified that he has no other connection to Chilume Trust or its affiliates. "I have no investment or proprietorship in any firm," he said.

In August this year, the BBMP allowed Chilume Trust to assist officers in revision of the electoral rolls and link voter cards with Aadhaar. The civic body had said that the non-profit should have nothing to do with political parties.

However, it turns out that Chilume Trust has sister concerns named DAP Hombale Pvt Ltd and Chilume Enterprises Pvt Ltd - both incorporated and registered in January 2018 - that operate the Digital Sameeksha app, which is said to cater to political parties and individual MPs, MLAs and other elected representatives.

"We have information on the activities of this organisation. They go to elected representatives promising electoral victory; we have information that they approached ward councillors seeking Rs 1 crore," Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar said.

According to the Chilume Trust's deed, the organisation is empowered to take up census work and offer "pre poll services".