Another complaint filed against CM with Anti-Corruption Bureau

'PWD engineer gifted Siddu Hublot watch as quid pro quo' 

The Hublot wristwatch of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is back in the news with one more complaint being filed with the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).

The complainant T J Abraham stated that the watch was gifted by L Raghu, Executive Engineer PWD who was posted to Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) by Siddaramaiah on the first day in office as chief minister.

The complaint said that Raghu also gifted a watch to PWD Minister H C
Mahadevappa.

One more Hublot watch is worn by Raghu himself, complaint alleged. According to the complaint, the watches were gifted to ensure that the Prosecution Sanction Order (PSO) request against Raghu, placed by the Lokayukta police, is rejected. Raghu was raided in November 2012 when he was posted at National Highway division. The PSO sent in October 2014 and the same is still pending before the PWD minister.

“Raghu is from the same community as Chief Minister Siddaramaih. Despite disproportionate assets case, Siddaramaiah posted Raghu to BDA on the very first day of his office as chief minister.

“Raghu was posted to BDA as executive engineer and was also given additional charge of Kempegowda Layout, the current cash cow for the government. I have obtained the document reflecting the movement of the file which indicates that since November 2015 it is pending before the PWD Minister,” Abraham said.

Some time after the breakout of the imported wristwatch issue, Siddaramaiah had clarified that it was gifted to him by his long time friend from Kerala Dr Girish Chandra Verma. Abraham said that Dr Verma in fact was a friend of Mahadevappa.

“Dr Girish Chandra Verma completed his MBBS from JJM Medical College in Davangere, where at the same time Mahadevappa  also studied MBBS. The affidavit filed by Dr Verma is a fabricated document containing false information,” Abraham said. Dr Verma is a consultant cardiac surgeon at MNC Speciality Hospital in Dubai.

The complaint also stated that the government has not taken any action on the report by Upalokayukta recommending enquiry against Raghu in a case of misconduct during his earlier tenure. The complaint said the gifting of watches to chief minister and the PWD minister was part of bribe to ensure both the requests, for sanction and enquiry, is rejected. The complaint has been filed against chief minister, PWD minister, Raghu and Dr Verma.