‘When did I threaten him?’ HD Kumaraswamy responds after Karnataka police book him for ‘threatening officer’ – Times of India

BENGALURU: Three weeks after ADGP and head of the Lokayukta Special Investigation Team (SIT), M Chandrasekhar, filed a complaint against the Union minister HD Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, accusing them of threatening him, an FIR was registered against the father and MLA of Chikkanayakanahalli constituency, CB Suresh Babu, at Sanjay Nagar police station of North Division, Bengaluru.
The FIR was registered on Monday evening under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), section 224 (threat of injury to public servant). Chandrasekhar, in his complaint on October 11, stated that he is serving as ADGP ISD and SIT, Lokayukta, probing into illegal mining cases. Kumaraswamy is one of the accused in one of the cases in illegal mining bearing crime number 16/2024. During the investigation, the police found additional evidence in the case, so to take necessary action according to the law, the SIT team approached the Governor of Karnataka seeking permission.
“Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy held a press conference regarding the same on September 28 and 29, in which he made false and malicious accusations against me and also threatened. He threatened to get me removed from the Karnataka cadre and send me to another state cadre,” Chandrasekhar stated in the complaint. He also made false allegations against my family members and verbally threatened to trouble them too. He further alleged that I got false medical certificates from Bowring Hospital and continued to serve in the Karnataka cadre post. He also made false statements saying that I took bribes, Chandrasekhar stated.
On September 29, Kumaraswamy’s son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, also made false and malicious accusations against me in a press conference. Kumaraswamy’s close aide, Suresh Babu, made false allegations against me and wrote a complaint letter to the Chief Secretary seeking action against me and shared the letter on social media platforms and threatened me, he added in the complaint. Sanjay Nagar police then registered a non-cognisable register (NCR). The court gave permission to register the FIR on Tuesday.
A senior officer said, “We will initiate the probe into the allegations made by the officer. Notices will be served to the accused in the case by the investigating officer to record their statements during the investigation.”
Reacting to the complaint by the officer, Kumaraswamy then told media persons, “I have spoken in front of the media and raised concern over a few issues. When did I threaten him? He has filed a complaint, let him, we will face it in court. Either he or I should not be afraid of each other. Let the matter come before the court, I don’t need to go anywhere. They have been investigating the case for the last 12 years. Whenever they summoned me, I appeared before them. I never said I won’t face the investigation. It is all being done politically by the state govt and him. We have court and we will face it. I have trust in court, our lawyers will give a reply to the complaint,” Kumaraswamy said.
What is the case against Kumaraswamy
The SIT is investigating the illegal mining cases. It is alleged that during his tenure as chief minister in 2007, Kumaraswamy illegally granted a mining lease of 550 acres to Sri Sai Venkateswara Minerals (SSVM) at Bhavihalli in Sandur taluk of Ballari district. SSVM is one among the 24 companies that applied for a lease and got the mining lease.