BJP demands resignation of Excise minister Timmapur after 2 officers caught taking Rs 25 lakh bribe

BENGALURU: BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka on Friday demanded the resignation of Excise Minister Ramappa B Timmapur after senior officers from his department were caught allegedly accepting a bribe for issuing a bar licence.

Ashoka alleged that Minister Timmapur was involved in the scam. “He collected the money from wine shops, bars, and liquor traders. They collected between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 crore for the elections in Assam, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. It’s a big scandal, we demanded the resignation of the excise minister. We will fight for the resignation, if not, the CM has to resign”, he added.

BJP MLA Bharath Shetty Y alleged that a member of Timmapur’s family is also involved in the bribery case. “The minister and one of his family members is also involved in this. There’s an audio recording in which crores of rupees are demanded from bar and wine shop owners for various works in the exercise department”, Bharath Shetty said.

He also demanded the minister’s resignation to ensure action against the accused officers. “We demanded the resignation of the exercise minister immediately, so that some action could be taken, because this corruption has become normal in the cabinet of the Karnataka government”, he said.

This comes after Karnataka Lokayukta arrested the Excise Deputy Commissioner and two other officials for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 25 lakh for issuing a bar licence. (ANI)