Will Probe All Irregularities During Bommai Regime, Punish The Guilty: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said his government will investigate all the alleged scams and irregularities that took place during the previous BJP regime.

New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that his government will investigate all the alleged scams and irregularities that took place during the previous BJP regime and will ensure that those responsible are appropriately punished, reported news agency PTI.

While speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said, "We will get scams inquired into. Four medical colleges were constructed and there are allegations about irregularities in it, we will get it investigated. Also we will get allegations of 40 per cent commission probed. There were irregularities in health related procurements during COVID-19 period, irrigation projects related irregularities and Bitcoin scam, all of them will be probed." 

He further stated that the investigation is on into the Police Sub Inspector (PSI) recruitment scam by the CID and it will be further intensified, and those guilty will be punished, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday reacted to reports suggesting that the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is going to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe Bitcoin and other scams during the previous BJP rule. The home minister said that they don't have any plans to set up an SIT, reported ANI.

He, however, asserted that the government is going to reinvestigate the alleged scams, especially the multi-crore Bitcoin scam case, during the previous government.

Speaking to the news agency ANI, G Parameshwara said, “I didn't say that we are going to form an SIT, I said there is a proposal before the department to hand over to CID, and that discussion is going on. But we'll definitely reinvestigate. Here I am talking about Bitcoin, we'll take it more seriously because a lot of money is involved, and many people are involved in it."

Notably, the prime suspect, Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki, was accused of hacking the state government’s e-procurement site and siphoning over Rs 11.5 crore. 

There were also charges of cryptocurrency theft, drug peddling, and cyber fraud relating to the case. 

The Congress then in Opposition had accused the Basavaraj Bommai government of trying to cover it up as it "involved big names". 

Earlier this month, while responding to reporters, Parameshwara had said, "We (Congress) are in the government now, we are opening things. I'm re-examining the Bitcoin case, we are doing it. It's not even a month since we came to power..."