JOIN USScam shame forces Katta to step down
Although Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and his sons are also embroiled in several land scams, Katta Subramanya has earned himself the unenviable distinction of being the first minister to be scalded by a Lokayukta investigation.
After 24 hours of dodging the media, he made a feeble attempt to defend himself against the allegations contained in the Lokayukta’s first information report (FIR) which, among other things, specifically said that Rs 87 crore was paid into the account of a shell company Katta Subramanya and his corporator-son Jagadish floated to earn “illegal gratification” from the land deal.
Some other associates of the BJP leader as well as KIADB officials were also implicated in the case by the Lokayukta. The Lokayukta FIR said Naidu allegedly had a role in allotting 385 acres to Itaska Software, a firm set up by one of his aides to establish a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) while he was the industries minister in 2007. The Lokayukta had arrested his son Jagadish a few months ago for allegedly trying to influence a witness.
Vaishnodevi visit
Proclaiming his innocence, Katta told a TV news channel that he would prove that he was innocent in the court of law. “Filing an FIR against me does not mean that I am guilty,” he said adding that it was his long-cherished wish to visit the Vaishnodevi shrine where he is now headed. Yeddyurappa announced Katta’s resignation on Friday afternoon, saying that he had accepted the letter and forwarded it to Governor H R Bhardwaj.
Following Katta Subramanya’s ignominous departure from the State Cabinet, Yeddyurappa is expected to reallocate the portfolios he held -- Housing, IT and BT and BWSSB – after he returns from Nagpur on Saturday.
The resignation was the result of some calculation that further refusal to put in his papers could invite his arrest which the party wanted to avoid.
Hegde’s warning
While the charges against Katta Subramanya –— forgery, cheating, benami transactions, criminal conspiracy, creating false documents and floating fictitious firms — would normally call for an arrest, Lokayukta Justice (retired) Santosh Hegde said Katta Subramanya could be arrested if he attempted to threaten witnesses or destroy evidence.
A beaming Justice Hegde said: “We have registered a criminal case against him. Mere registration of case doesn’t mean a person should be arrested immediately. Hence, all such questions are hypothetical at this stage. Suresh Kalmadi is yet to be arrested despite the CBI filing an FIR against him long ago.”
When pressed further, Justice Hegde said his detectives “will definitely arrest him (Katta Subramanya) if he repeats what his son did.” Katta Subramanya could also be arrested if he tries to abscond, prevents the inquiry process, tries to threaten or intimidate witnesses or attempts to destroy evidence, the Lokayukta clarified, adding that “in the worst case, he could be taken into custody for interrogation”.
Pointing out that tendering resignation was “not the way to wash off sins”, Justice Hedge said the inquiry would continue on a normal pace.
According to sources, on Thursday, Katta Subramanya refused to step down, claiming that he had been falsely implicated. Sources in the state BJP said that he was reluctant to quit office on the ground that similar charges had been made against other ministers, including the chief minister.
But he was forced to go when pressure built on him with the party top brass insisting that he demit office honourably, the sources said, adding that he wrote out and signed the resignation letter late Thursday night after the Lokayukta went public with its FIR.
After the City was rife with rumours that Katta Subramanya and his family, including son Jagadish, had gone underground, the former minister appeared on a local television news channel to announce that he was headed for the Vaishnodevi temple in Jammu and would return on Monday. The Kattas are planning to visit Tirupathi before leaving for Jammu.