JOIN USAs CBI teams, investigating into charges against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, swooped on various offices and residences on Wednesday, Yeddyurappa said it was the most painful and unforgettable day of his political career.
Trying his best to remain unperturbed after the searches and raids, Yeddyurappa told mediapersons that the CBI is free to conduct any number of searches and seize documents.
“The CBI officials have carried out searches at my Bangalore and Shimoga houses. We have provided whatever information they sought. I have high respect for the CBI. I and my family will fully co-operate with the investigation. I am hopeful of winning the legal fight. I have the support of five crore people of the State.”
A beleaguered Yeddyurappa, however, continued to hit out at party general secretary H N Ananth Kumar, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and Party State president K S Eshwarappa. At least now Ananth Kumar should stop conspiring and extend co-operation in the interest of the party, he said.
What Sadananda Gowda and K S Eshwrappa did to him – writing to the party central leaders against him – was distasteful, he said.
The CBI team visited Yeddyurappa’s Race Course residence as early as 5.30 am when he was reading newspapers. He missed his everyday morning walk with his close associate and BJP MLC Lehar Singh, who visited Yeddyurappa, only to return immediately.
Till the CBI sleuths left the residence around 12 noon, no visitor was allowed inside the house.
It is learnt that Yeddyurappa left his residence soon after the officials entered his house but returned around 6.40 am.
His loyalists B J Puttaswamy, Lakshminarayana and B P Harish went to meet him around 9.30 am, but they were not allowed to enter the house.
After the raids, his supporters went to extend him moral support. Ministers Umesh Katti, Jagadish Shettar, C M Udasi and Renukacharya were also with him for some time. Yeddyurappa remained confined to the house through the day.
Katti and Shettar told Deccan Herald that Yeddyurappa looked unperturbed. Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and Eshwarappa did not offer any comments on the raids. They did not visit Yeddyurappa.
Cong cautioned
However, BJP MLA and spokesperson C T Ravi cautioned the Congress not to use the CBI against Yeddyurappa to push forward its political motives.
Ravi told mediapersons in Bangalore that the BJP leader and the party were going through an ‘agnipareeksha’ and that Congress should not misuse the investigating agency for political gains.
“Be it in Gujarat or against Mulayam Singh or Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh, Lalu Prasad in Bihar or Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh, the Congress has used CBI as a pawn,” he said. Ravi said the BJP extended its moral support to Yeddyurappa and that the party was confident that the charges made against the BJP leader would be disproved.
When asked why the party did not support former minister Janardhana Reddy when the CBI had filed an FIR against him, Ravi had no convincing reply.
They say...
The law will take its own course. I have never commented on any matter that is being investigated or pending before the court.
D V Sadananda Gowda,
Chief Minister
How can a politician react to a CBI raid? Is this question being posed to hurt him (Yeddyurappa) further?
Shobha Karandlaje,
Energy Minister
I pray that he is not arrested. The CBI has become fair these days, so I hope Yeddyurappa gets a fair deal. If the agency has evidence and ultimately finds him guilty, then that’s a different thing, but he should not be victimised unnecessarily.
Lehar Singh Siroya, BJP MLC
The Supreme Court has directed the CBI to complete its investigation within the next three months. So, Yeddyurappa would come clean before the next elections. He will bring the party back to power.
Umesh Katti, Minister
Many leaders have come clean after facing CBI investigation in the past. Yeddyurappa too will come clean.
Balachandra Jarkiholi,
Minister