CM questions KAS officer's delay in filing plaint

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday defended the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) over a charge that it tried to coerce a KAS officer into issuing a statement against BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa and sought to know why the officer delayed lodging a complaint in this regard.

“Why did he write the letter nine days after the case was registered? Why was the officer silent?” Siddaramaiah said while speaking to reporters.

On August 19, KAS officer Basavarajendra stated in his complaint that he was named as an accused in the case pertaining to denotification of land meant for Shivaram Karanth Layout because he refused to indict Yeddyurappa.

“Should Yeddyurappa be allowed to go scot-free despite him making a mistake? The ACB is an autonomous institution and it has registered an FIR based on a private complaint. Let Yeddyurappa come before the investigating officers and say he has not wronged,” Siddaramaiah said. The Chief Minister even joked that the BJP had nothing else to do but blame the Congress for everything.

Cabinet expansion

On expanding his council of ministers, the chief minister said it will be done after the party high command gave a green signal. “The high command is yet to approve it,” he said.