Court-monitored probe required

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has ordered an inquiry by the Chief Secretary into the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association complaint to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that nearly 40% of the total cost has to be paid as bribes to win infrastructure and other projects in the state. This is nothing but eyewash, as the charges are directed at the top echelons of the government and the Chief Secretary cannot be expected to indict his own political bosses. The complaint assumes significance because it has not been filed by a political party or any individual contractor but by an industry body, which was constrained to approach the Prime Minister after a similar petition submitted earlier to the Governor, Chief Minister and PWD minister drew a blank. It is anybody’s guess whether the Chief Secretary can do justice as the contractors have mentioned that they are subjected to undue harassment by everyone from the level of junior engineers to ministers and senior bureaucrats. The Chief Secretary is not a police officer and lacks the expertise or the wherewithal to investigate a matter that involves bribery, corruption, money laundering, conspiracy, and even hacking. Though no receipts are issued for bribes paid, both the giver and the taker often unwittingly leave behind a trace that can be detected only through a thorough criminal investigation which includes raids on suspects, establishing the money trail, probing benami transactions, tracking call records and examining physical evidences, conducting forensic audits and summoning and interrogating suspects and the accused.

Irrespective of whether or not these specific allegations hold water, it cannot be denied that the Chief Minister’s Office itself has become embroiled in multiple controversies over the last few years, including in the bitcoin and hacking scam, which too came to light with a whistle-blower’s letter to the Prime Minister. BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil had accused former CM B S Yediyurappa and his family of indulging in large-scale corruption. Another party legislator had complained to the central leadership about fraud in awarding irrigation projects. The letter by the contractors’ association is the latest in the series of such complaints. The unearthing of crores of rupees during the recent raids by Anti-Corruption Bureau on some officers has given more credence to these accusations.

Considering the magnitude of the alleged corruption and the possibility of some big names being involved, the government should immediately hand over the probe either to the CBI or to a High Court-monitored special investigation team. This is also a fit case for the Lok Ayukta and the dormant Lok Pal office to take note of.