Kannada Bhavan raid: Action agnst govt officials likely

After the row over Delhi police midnight raid to Karnataka Bhavan, where Kannada writers, poets and intellectuals were partying illegally, officials here set to recommend action against officials of Karnataka Government officials, who accompanied the delegation.

With Chief Secretary Vijay Bhaskar seeking a report from Karnataka Resident Commissioner Nilay Mitesh, later held a lengthy meeting with Bhavan senior officials here on Friday. He was learnt have said that a detail report mentioning every incident would be sent to the government in a day or two.

As per the CCTV footage scanned by officials, it was found that several unknown persons have entered the Bhavan on February 6 night. Even footage also showed that some office-bearers of Delhi Kannada Sangha, some members of the delegation led by Kannada Development Authority (KDA), a Rajya Sabha Member from Karnataka, also seen entering the room and present till late in the night, where the party was held.

The Delhi Police raided Karnataka Bhavan on Wednesday night based on a complaint by Supreme Court Judge Dinesh Maheshwari, who was also staying at Bhavan. It was alleged that some members of the delegation led by KDA created a nuisance by holding a party in a room till late in the night and disturbed other guests staying in Bhavan.

With the Karnataka Government officials from Bengaluru, who accompanied KDA delegation, also seen in room where the party was held, the Karnataka Bhavan officials said, “we will mention their active involvements in the party in a report to be sent to the Chief Secretary.”

“Since consumption of liquor and holding party is strictly banned in Bhavan, the Government of Karnataka officials presence in the venue will be seen as serious offence," said the official.

With the question was raised over how the accommodation was booked in the name one JNU professor and resident of Delhi, who is also part of accommodation, officials of Karnataka Bhavan have blamed the Karnataka Development Authority (KDA) officials for seeking a room.

Since, the Department of Personal and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) had written to Karnataka Bhavan officials to treat all members of delegation as state guests and expenditure incurred including accommodation, travel and food charges, should be paid by the state government, Bhavan did not collect any charges from them, said the official.

Though as per earlier schedule, the delegation members were supposed to leave for Bengaluru on Friday morning, after Wednesday night incident, all of them vacated Bhavan on Thursday afternoon itself, said the official.