Governor seeks detailed report

Governor Vajubhai Vala on Monday sought a detailed report from the government on the lottery scam in the State.

Sources in the government said the governor had, in a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, expressed concern over the suspected involvement of senior police officers in the illegal sale of single-digit lottery and sought to know the action the government had taken so far to prevent it.

The governor said he learnt about the lottery scam through the media. He has asked the government to submit the report by Monday evening. (Till late evening, there was no confirmation from the government whether the report was dispatched to Raj Bhavan).

Earlier in the day, Home Minister K J George said the government would send the report to the governor by evening. “The Governor is the constitutional head of the State. He has sought a report and we will send it by evening,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reacted sharply to the demand of the Opposition for a Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) probe into the scam and for branding him casteist when it came to taking action against police personnel reportedly involved in the scam.Referring to the comment by JD (S) leader H D Kumaraswamy that police officer Chandrakanth was being protected because he was related to the chief minister, Siddaramaiah said, “All Kurubas are not related to me. And, Chandrakanth is not a relative of mine.

Just because Kumaraswamy demands his suspension, the government can’t do it. Does Kumaraswamy have evidence against Chandrakanth? If the Central Investigation Department (CID) proves that Chandrakanth is guilty, then he will face action. Whoever commits irregularities, they will face the consequences.”

Rejecting the demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation  probe, the chief minister said the government had taken action as soon as the scam had come to light. The BJP has no moral right to demand a Central Bureau of Investigation   probe because it did not refer any scam to the central agency, when it was in power. Also, what work should be done by the Central Investigation Department , if all cases are referred to the CBI, he wondered.

He said criminal cases could be filed only after getting a report from the Central Investigation Department . The government is not obliged to protect anyone, he said.