Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Tuesday said that some members of the Karnataka State Contractors' Association (KSCA), who are making allegations against ministers and ruling party MLAs, must furnish conclusive evidence to prove their charges of giving kickbacks to ministers and MLAs or else they will 'face consequence' for making such charges.
Jananendra’s statement comes after a day KSCA’s working president R Manjunath played a purported audio clip in which Chitradurga BJP MLA G H Thippareddy allegedly demanded a kickback from the contractors.
Speaking to reporters, he said the association members have been making allegations just ahead of the Assembly elections. “Already, their president (D Kempanna) is facing a case for making such charges. Similarly, Thippareddy too has informed me that he too will file a case against the contractor (Manjunath) who made allegations against him,” he said.
He said the contractors' intent is only to 'blackmail', then they will face the consequences.
He said the the timing of allegations is suspicious as it appears to bring disrepute to the ruling BJP government.
Meanwhile, Horticulture Muniratna and his family members have asked the KSCA president Kempanna to produce concrete evidence to prove his charges.
“I have filed a criminal defamation suit against him (Kempanna). He was arrested in connection with this. The way I have explored legal options, he too is exploring, let him explore,” he said.
Published 17 January 2023, 16:41 IST