Bengaluru: Raising doubts over the commitment of the state government in cracking the murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh, JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy said that the formation of Special Investigation Team appeared to be the handiwork of former IPS officer P Kempaiah, who is an adviser to the home minister.
After a party booth level leaders' meeting here on Friday, Kumaraswamy said that the SIT is headed by an officer who is accused of selling seized gold during his tenure in Bengaluru.
“In Banasawadi, 3.5 kg gold was seized and the officer allegedly sold half of it and purchased land. The government should take honest officers into confidence and involve them in the investigation. Officers in the SIT are just wasting time, watching CCTV footage three days after the incident,” he said.
He wondered if the SIT was formed without the knowledge of Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy and was constituted directly by Mr Kempaiah. “The government should not take Mr Kempaiah’s advice in investigating the Gauri murder case,” he said.
On the suspicion that Naxals were behind the murder, Mr Kumaraswamy said that the Centre cannot make a statement without information. “The Centre has its own network in all states and gets information on all activities. The state government should take corrective measures and ensure a proper investigation,” he said.
Charging that the state government is trying to gag the media, he wanted to know why a reporter of a Kannada daily was arrested in Mangaluru. “But he was not produced before the court,” he alleged.
“Both the Congress and BJP have no concern for the state. While the state is reeling under drought, Bengaluru is witnessing unprecedented rain and flooding. The government claims that it had released Rs 22,000 crore for Bengaluru. Where did the money go? The Congress is looting money in the name of projects. Congress leaders are hanging on to the Janthakal mining case. Let the JD(S) come to power, all the scams of this government will be exposed,” he said.
For the BJP, their motorcycle rally to Mangaluru is the most important issue. “They want to disturb law and order. The government tried its best to contain the rally and now the BJP is extending it to all the 30 districts. The whole exercise was unwarranted,” he said.
