CM Siddaramaiah mourns contractors’ association president Kempanna’s death

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday expressed his condolence over the death of Kempanna, the president of the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association. Kempanna had brought to light the alleged 40 per cent commission scam during the previous BJP government’s rule, which gained nationwide attention.

Siddaramaiah, in a post on X, said, “Saddened by the death of Kempanna, President of the State Contractors Association. He had brought out the 40% commission scam that had made headlines across the country during the previous government’s tenure and had taken a stand against corruption in contract works”.

ರಾಜ್ಯ ಗುತ್ತಿಗೆದಾರರ ಸಂಘದ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರಾದ ಕೆಂಪಣ್ಣನವರ ನಿಧನವಾರ್ತೆ ನೋವುಂಟುಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಹಿಂದಿನ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಅವಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ದೇಶಾದ್ಯಂತ ಸುದ್ದಿ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದ 40% ಕಮಿಷನ್ ಹಗರಣವನ್ನು ಹೊರತಂದು, ಗುತ್ತಿಗೆ ಕಾಮಗಾರಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಭ್ರಷ್ಟಾಚಾರದ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಅವರು ಸೆಟೆದು ನಿಂತಿದ್ದರು.

ಯಾವುದೇ ಒತ್ತಡ, ಆಮಿಷಗಳಿಗೆ ಒಳಗಾಗದ ನಿರ್ಭೀತ… pic.twitter.com/MTZKOZKR4K

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 19, 2024

In 2023, the Congress government in Karnataka ordered a judicial probe into allegations of contractors allegedly being forced to pay a 40 per cent commission on state projects during the previous Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government. This investigation was prompted by claims made by Kempanna, who accused the previous government of corruption in public contracts.

A committee led by retired High Court judge Nagamohan Das has been formed to investigate these allegations. An official order from the state’s Public Works Department stated that the committee should thoroughly examine all relevant locations and documents. The investigation committee had been instructed to submit a complete report within 30 days. Officials from the concerned departments were also directed to provide all necessary documents and cooperate fully during the site inspections.

The controversy surrounding the 40 per cent commission first surfaced in April 2022, following the death of Belagavi-based contractor Santosh Patil, who died by suicide. In his suicide note, Patil accused BJP leader and then-minister K S Eshwarappa of demanding a 40 per cent commission to clear a government project.

Kempanna had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021, highlighting that contractors were being forced to pay 40 per cent commissions for public projects. This became a key issue in the Congress’s campaign against the BJP during the Karnataka elections.

Siddaramaiah then met with the delegation from the Contractors’ Association and promised action to end the commission system and ensured his government was committed to stopping corruption in contract works. (ANI)