Congress seeks dismissal of tainted minister

The Minister was charged by the CBI in connection with his involvement in a housing loan fraud. Sudhakar, an independent MLA, supporting the BJP-led government, is accused number three in the charge sheet filed by the CBI in the court of Special Judge for CBI cases, Bangalore, for the offences of criminal breach of trust among other things.

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council V S Ugrappa on Thursday said Sudhakar had no moral right to continue in office following the filing of the charge sheet. The CBI had filed the FIR with the XXI additional city civil and session judge on February 1, 2008 and after investigation filed the charge sheet last week.

Ugrappa said the minister should voluntarily resign and stay out of the Cabinet until the completion of the trial in the CBI court. If the minister is found innocent he can be inducted into the Cabinet, Ugrappa said.

The charge sheet accuses Sudhakar as partner of Trishul Enterprises and Director of Seven Hills Properties Ltd and three others of knowingly using the forged documents with the help of the then chief manager of the State Bank of Mysore (SBM) MTV Reddy in Bangalore, and cheating the bank to the tune of Rs 5.50 crore by getting sanctioned 76 bogus housing loans to “non-existing employees” of reputed organisations in Karnataka.
Sudhakar denied the charges and said that he had no role to play in the case. He ruled out submitting his resignation.

He said it was the responsibility of the bank manager to ascertain the veracity of the loan documents. The minister said the charges filed by the CBI are applicable only to public servants.

‘Charges false’
Sudhakar said the CBI had charged him only under section 120(b) for allegedly bribing the bank manager. This charge was also false and he would explain the same during the hearing. “The case dates back to 2003 but it was raked up soon after I became the minister”, he added.

BJP State President D V Sadananda Gowda said it was the prerogative of the Chief Minister to take any decision on retaining Sudhakar in the Cabinet. “He does not come under the party forum as he is an independent cabinet”, Gowda said.