Bengaluru: Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah on Sunday clarified that he sought an SIT probe into the audio clip row not to corner Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy but to attract Prevention of Corruption Act.
BJP MLA K S Eshwarappa had alleged that Siddaramaiah wanted to fix the Chief Minister and hence he had demanded the SIT probe. “Who has given him (Siddaramaiah) power to announce the formation of SIT? He is an MLA like me.. Government has not given him any ‘power of attorney’. “He unilaterally made the announcement that this government will form the SIT. The question here is that instead of getting Yeddyurappa investigated, he wants to trap Kumaraswamy,” Eshwarappa claimed.
Responding to this, the congress leader said, “Haven’t you heard (in the audio recording) that Rs 50 crore has been given to the Speaker? So, which panel should be formed?… it should be given to SIT.. What is wrong in that?”
“I have only recommended the formation of SIT.. I only expressed my views that it should be constituted because it attracts Prevention of Corruption Act,” he further added.
On 8 February, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had released two audio clips purportedly of BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa trying to lure JD(S) MLA Nagan Gouda, claiming the party was trying to topple his government and it was being done with the knowledge of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.