BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah endured stiff opposition, even from within the ruling party while setting up the Anti Corruption Bureau, but ironically his luxe wristwatch could be the first case to be investigated by the local unit of ACB.
Mr Nataraj Sharma S., a city-based advocate who had earlier filed a petition in Lokayukta on Arkavathy denotification scam, on Saturday filed a complaint in the Director General of Police (DGP)’s office here seeking an investigation into the Hublot wristwatch episode which triggered a major controversy much to the embarrassment of Mr Siddaramaiah and senior Central leaders of Congress.
He filed the complaint at DGP's office due to non-availability of ACB officers.
In March, Mr Sharma had filed a petition in the high court, seeking a direction to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to consider his plea for a probe into acquisition of the wristwatch by Mr Siddaramaiah.
The court, however, dismissed his petition on the grounds that the ED could require 90 days to take up the investigation. Mr Sharma said though Mr Siddaramaiah declared the wristwatch as state asset, investigation must focus on the person who gifted it to the Chief Minister. “I will wait for three days (for FIR) and move the court again if the ACB fails to take up the case,” he told Deccan Chronicle.
SMK, Kharge must have roles in Karnataka: senior Congress leader
Stressing the need for a change in the style of functioning of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, a senior Congress leader said a new-look cabinet would be possible only if veteran leaders are consulted by the Kuruba strongman.
The leader told Deccan Chronicle that Mr Siddaramaiah should factor in the views of leaders like M. Mallikarjun Kharge and S.M. Krishna before embarking on a reshuffle of ministers.
In case he does not take these leaders into confidence, he would find it difficult to execute his plan of axing ministers with poor performance records and replace them with new faces, the leader added.
