BJP leaders have taken offence to former chief minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy’s allegations that BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa was well aware of the Rs 2.5 crore cash being carried by an advocate in Karnataka’s Assembly complex, Vidhana Soudha.
HM Siddharth, senior advocate in Karnataka High Court was detained with Rs 2.5 crore in his car while entering the Vidhana Soudha on October 21. A case was booked under Section 102 of the CrPC (Power of police officer to seize certain property).
That day, Yeddyurappa demanded a high-level enquiry on where the cash was going and whom it was meant for.
On Monday, HD Kumaraswamy at a press briefing in Hassan said, “The advocate kept changing his statements on where he was taking the money. Initially, the advocate said that he was taking the money to High Court, then he said he was passing through Vidhana Soudha. After a while he changed his statement and said it was for a property registration.”
Taking a dig at Yeddyurappa’s demand for an enquiry, Kumaraswamy said that the state BJP president knew everything about the money. “If there is one person who knows where the money came from; who it was meant for; and where it was supposed to be handed over to, then it is only Yeddyurappa.”
BJP leaders were quick to hit back at Kumaraswamy. Rising to Yeddyurappa’s defence, BJP leaders Shobha Karandlaje and BJP spokesperson Suresh Kumar said that the JD (S) leader was playing petty politics.
Suresh Kumar said that Kumaraswamy was connecting Yeddyurappa with Siddharth because the advocate had once represented the BJP leader, reported TNIE. “This is his usual hit-and-run saying.”
The case was handed over to Cubbon Park police after a three-hour interrogation. The lawyer was asked to come back on Saturday with proof that it was legitimate money. However, no concrete information on the money trail seems to have emerged.