JOIN US Home Minister K J George hit back at JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy by saying that the government would not have ordered a CID probe into the lottery scam if he or the chief minister wanted to protect select officers.
Reacting to the charges by Kumaraswamy on Saturday, George denied his involvement in the racket. “The CID did not find any evidence against police officer M V Chandrakanth, who was earlier in the excise and lottery wing,” George said. Kumaraswamy had claimed that action has not been taken against Chandrakanth as he is related to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
George dismissed the JD(S) leader’s allegations that Dharanesh, SP, was suspended because he was a dalit. “The police administration cannot be run on caste lines. He was suspended because there was evidence against him. Why would we order a CID probe if CM and I wanted to protect a set of officers,” George asked.
Regarding the failure of the Home Department in initiating action against former Southern Range (Mysuru) IGP Ramachandra Rao for his alleged involvement in the Rs 2.26-crore robbery that took place in a Kerala bound bus, George said the government acted based on recommendations made by the CID.
Bidari denies
Meanwhile, retired DG&IGP Shankari Bidari termed former Kumaraswamy’s allegations as false and driven by ill-intention to tarnish his image.
“Kumaraswamy should prove my role in single digit lottery scam if he has self-respect and values truth and transparency, or he should shut his mouth and retire from politics,” Bidari said. “I don’t know who this Pari Rajan is and the question of me introducing Rajan to Alok Kumar never arises.”