Lokayukta cops incapable of Nice probe: HDK

Janata Dal (Secular) State president H D Kumaraswamy on Friday said he had serious doubts about the ability of the Lokayukta police to conduct a fair probe into the alleged irregularities in the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project.

“The way the Lokayukta police have conducted investigations into some of the corruption cases recently, raises doubts about  their ability. Many officials lack integrity and have a tendency to yield to political pressure,” he told reporters.

The Lokayukta court ordered probe into, among others, the involvement of about 30 people, including three former chief ministers - H D Deve Gowda, S M Krishna and B S Yeddyurappa - in the alleged irregularities.

The project was conceived in 1995 when Gowda was the chief minister.
Kumaraswamy, however, said he welcomed the probe and that it would help reveal how Deve Gowda tried to protect the interest of the State and how he fought to prevent the loot of farmers’ land by the project promoter.

“The probe will reveal why Gowda relentlessly fought against the project. It will also prove that he (Gowda) had not lobbied in favour of the project, and it will expose the misdeeds of the project promoter,” he said.

Asked whether a new political party Yeddyurappa plans to float would pose a threat to the JD(S), he said Yeddyurappa’s aim of forming a new party was to finish off his political rivals, the JD(S) and the Bharatiya Janata Party. He alleged that Yeddyurappa had a soft corner for the Congress party.

Kumaraswamy said that his party was voted to power, it would implement the recommendations of the A T Ramaswamy Committee report on encroachment of government land in and around Bangalore. The committee had identified encroachment of about 40,000 acres.