FIR against HD Kumaraswamy for extortion: Police chief promises transparent probe

BENGALURU: City Police Commissioner B Dayananda on Friday said an FIR had been registered in the case related to alleged extortion involving Union Minister of Steel H D Kumaraswamy. Earlier, the police had registered a non-congnisable report after receiving the complaint from Vijaya Tata, who claimed to be a JD(S) functionary.

Dayananda said the investigation will be carried out in a transparent manner. “We will investigate the case in a unbiased and transparent manner”, he said after participating in the police parade at the CAR (South) grounds.

The FIR has been registered against Kumaraswamy and MLC Ramesh Gowda at the Amruthahalli police station. The complaint has been filed by realtor Vijay Tata wherein he has alleged that they demanded Rs 50 crore from him and issued him life threats. The FIR names Ramesh as the first accused and H D Kumaraswamy as the second accused.

Complainant Vijay Tata, a resident of Dasarahalli, has been identified with the JDS party since 2018 and is currently the vice president of the social media wing of the party, as per his claim. As per Vijay Tata’s complaint, “During the 2019 Mandya Lok Sabha Elections, I had campaigned on social media on behalf of JD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy and personally spent crores of rupees. Former MLC Ramesh Gowda came home on August 24 and called Kumaraswamy saying that the ticket to Nikhil Kumaraswamy in the Channapatna by-election is final.”

“Then he said ‘This time in Channapatna by-election it is inevitable for us to win and Rs 50 crore rupees will have to be paid for election expenses” he said. I immediately said ‘Sir I don’t have that much money, I have to complete my real estate projects. So I will try to get involved in the party’s activities’. Infuriated by my words, Kumaraswamy threatened that if I don’t prepare Rs 50 crore, ‘I don’t know what I will do, not only will you run a real estate business in Bangalore, but it will be difficult to live here.”

“Ramesh Gowda, who was sitting in front of me, threatened that ‘Prepare Rs 50 crore as told by Kumaranna and I am building a temple and a school, for which you will give Rs 5 crore. If you don’t give this money, you will face trouble’,” Vijay Tata explained in the complaint.

However, JD(S) social media cell president Chandan H S dismissed the allegations made by Vijay Tata against Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy and MLC Ramesh Gowda as “false”.

In a letter, Chandan said that Vijay Tata does not hold any position within the JDS social media cell and is doing this for publicity. He added that the party will file a complaint against Tata.