Summary:
Bengaluru, Nov 25 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said he has ordered an inquiry into the charges of corruption levelled by contractors association against the state ministers and public representatives in their letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This even as a delegation of opposition Congress leaders led by its President D K Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and submitted a "complaint" highlighting the issue, and appealed to him to recommend for imposition of President Rule in Karnataka, alleging "failure of constitutional machinery".
They have also requested him to order a judicial probe by a sitting Judge of Supreme Court of India on the allegations made by contractors, and to direct the state police to take cognizance and to register an FIR against the concerned persons in these cases.
In their letter to the Prime Minister in July, the Karnataka State Contractors Association had claimed "harassment" by ministers, elected representatives and others, accusing them of demanding up to 30 percent of the tender amount for approving a contract, and 5-6 per cent towards release of "Letter of Credit" against pending bills.
"On July 6, the contractors association had written a letter to the Prime Minister, don"t know why they sent it there, but after our government came, I have ordered the Chief Secretary to get the contents" letter reviewed by the heads of the concerned departments and if any wrong is found, it should be immediately inquired into, and the guilty should be punished," Bommai said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said he has written to the Chief Secretary to specially scrutinize the tenders finalised after his government took over.