M B Patil got Rs 25-cr kickback for irrigation works: BSY

BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday charged Water Resources Minister M B Patil with receiving a kickback of Rs 25 crore in awarding irrigation works pertaining to the Visvesvaraya Jala Nigam Limited.

Addressing a press conference here, Yeddyurappa said two companies "with close links" to Patil were awarded tenders for works worth Rs 159 crore, by providing them fake 'work done' certificate. Yeddyurappa said VJNL had recently called for tenders to execute a project pertaining to 2.9-km canal works in Chitradurga.

VJNL awarded the works to two companies - National Projects Construction Corporation Limited (NPCCL) and Amma Constructions India Private Limited (ACIPL).

As per the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, work experience in executing such project is a must. While NPCCL produced documents that it had worked with irrigation and flood control department of Manipur, ACIPL claimed to have executed works for Hindustan Steel Works Construction.

However, the two agencies denied that they had issued any such 'work done' orders. "The work done orders have proved to be fake. It is estimated that Patil got Rs 25 crore as kickback for striking the deal," Yeddyurappa charged and released documents procured through the Right to Information Act.

"Siddaramaiah government is not 10%, but 30% government. I want to ask the chief minister what is his share in this?" he said.

Yeddyurappa demanded a CBI inquiry into the entire episode. The BJP leader said Patil was one of the most corrupt ministers in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet. Tenders worth crores of rupees are issued by the water resources department every year and they are controlled by Patil, he charged.