Joint FIRs filed against Siddu and aide, claims HDK

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy has demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should clarify whether there are any first information reports against him.

Addressing reporters on Monday, Kumaraswamy charged that Siddaramaiah’s name appeared in about 10 FIRs. “Siddaramaiah has claimed that he has no close links with Marigowda. But there are joint FIRs against the two. While Siddaramaiah is accused no. 1, Marigowda is accused no. 2 in all these cases,” he said.

The Opposition has been demanding action against Marigowda, a Congress worker and an associate of Siddaramaiah, ever since Mysuru Deputy Commissioner C Shikha lodged a complaint against him on July 4. Marigowda reportedly abused the officer.

Releasing copies of the FIRs dating back to 2007, Kumaraswamy said, “It should be clarified whether it is Siddaramaiah’s name in the FIRs.”

Reiterating that the government was protecting Marigowda, Kumaraswamy said the FIRs pertained to cases including torching and pelting of buses and harassment of officials.

Levelling charges against IPS officer Pronab Mohanty, the former chief minister accused the officer of being “corrupt”. “The government is projecting him as an upright and honest officer. But this is far from the truth,” he added. Terming it another scam like the Hublot watch case, Kumaraswamy charged that Mohanty had played a role in destroying an FIR registered by NRI Dr Debdatta Das pertaining to a theft case, in 2014. Das, like Mohanty, hails from Odisha, he said. Mohanty was serving as an assistant commissioner of police then.

According to Das’ claims, the police had closed the case, owing to Mohanty’s interference. Mohanty had even requested Das not to mention his name anywhere, as he was following orders from his superiors.

“Weren’t the then Home Minister K J George and DG&IGP aware of the happenings? I demand to know who stopped the investigation midway,” he said.

Kumaraswamy said that Das had stayed briefly at his friend Gnanesh Mishra’s place in Viveknagar in Bengaluru after his return from New York on January 9, 2014. On realising that around $12,000 was missing, he registered a theft case against Mishra in Viveknagar police station. “Das has said that he is unable to locate the FIR copy,” said Kumaraswamy. Das has written to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in this regard, he added. Kumaraswamy did not release any documents to prove his charges against the police officer.

‘6 cases withdrawn, ‘C’ report in others’
Mysuru SP Abhinav Khare, on Monday, said, no cases were pending before the Mysuru district police against Siddaramaiah and Marigowda.
At a press meet at his office, Khare said the government had withdrawn six cases and the CID filed ‘C’ reports in the other cases in 2009.
In 2007, when Siddaramaiah was an MLA from the Chamundeshwari constituency, the police had booked him and Marigowda, based on complaints over their involvement in violence and damaging government property in a protocol issue. Eleven cases - five in Mysuru South station and six in Jayapura station - were booked, with Siddaramaiah and Marigowda as prime accused.
The SP said that while the government has withdrawn six cases that were registered at the Jayapura police station on August 14, 2009, the CID has submitted ‘C’ reports to the court in other cases.
When questioned as to why ‘C’ reports were filed even after the suspects were known, the SP said, it was a CID probe and he is unaware of it. All 11 cases were filed on March 31 and August 1, 2007, when Kumaraswamy was the chief minister. Siddaramaiah, along with Marigowda and others, was alleged to have resorted to violence, damaged KSRTC buses and laid a siege to the SP’s office.