BENGALURU: Former Chief Minister and JD(S) state president H.D. Kumaraswamy was questioned by the Lokayukta Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the illegal mining scam. During his visit to SIT office, the officials arrested and released him as he had obtained anticipatory bail.
SIT officials said that they are investigating a case related to granting of a mining lease to Sri Sai Venkateshwara Minerals.
It is alleged that the then chief minister, Mr Kumaraswamy, had granted the lease by flouting rules in October 2007. As part of the probe, Mr Kumaraswamy was issued a notice on July 27, asking him to appear before the investigating agency on August 5.
Meanwhile, he obtained anticipatory bail on August 3. An official said Mr Kumaraswamy came to SIT office around 10 am and left at 2 pm on Wednesday. “Nearly 50 of his followers and five advocates came with him. Head of SIT, K.S.R. Charan Reddy, SP Manjunath Annigeri and investigation officer, DySP Mallapa Kolhapure, questioned Mr Kumaraswamy. He claimed that he had not flouted any norms in granting the mining lease. Though he was not actually arrested, for the records we have shown that he was arrested and released as per the court directions,” the official said.
