An emotional Shobha refutes charges

“What is wrong if I do business by raising loan,” a visibly agitated Karandlaje asked at a press conference. She said she was ready to face her detractors, including former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, at the Manjunatha temple in Dharmasthala and prove her innocence. An emotionally-charged Shobha was on the verge of tears as she said she “never involved in corrupt practices.”

She has written to Kumaraswamy to accept her challenge and visit Dharmasthala. She would be happy if he brings his mother along with him. She would reply to all allegations at the temple. She came into politics with the motto of serving people and she neither sought favours from anybody nor accepted bribe in her political career.

Karandlaje said when allegations of purchasing 166.40 acres of land by ill-gotten money were made, she was in her home town. She had to console her parents who were “shocked” by the news reports.

The minister said she launched Kapila Manjushree Apparels, a retail firm of apparels, in 2006 when she was disappointed by political developments and contemplating to quit politics.
She set up the industry by raising a loan from her friend Jayashankar Murthy, a builder and a bank loan by pledging a BDA site she was allotted by the Dharam Singh government. She bought land in Kodagu at a cost of Rs 5.1 crore by raising a loan from Federal Bank.

She owned a BDA site, a site in Puttur and 166.4 acres in Kodagu. “I will quit politics if it is proved that I own an inch of land other than these three,” she said. She said she had been facing difficulty in repaying the loan raised for her firm.