Belagavi, DHNS: 'Duo have brought disrepute to administrative machinery'. Bowing to pressure from the Opposition parties, the state government on Friday suspended Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd managing director T N Chikkarayappa and Karnataka State Highways Development Project, Chief Project Officer, S C Jayachandra, who were found in possession of Rs 6 crore cash and huge quantity of gold during the Income Tax raids on Thursday.

The Legislative Council on Friday witnessed a din following an uproar by the BJP and JD(S) members who demanded immediate suspension of the two officials, and stringent action against them.

Investigation on

Home Minister G Parameshwara said the investigations are on and the state government is yet to get official information from the I-T department.

He said the government would announce its decision later in the evening.
Not satisfied with the response, the Opposition members stormed into the Well to register their protest.

Leader of the Opposition

K S Eshwarappa charged that the government was protecting the duo, despite their involvement in huge irregularities, as they were close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Public Works Minister H C Mahadevappa.

Eshwarappa also demanded a thorough enquiry into the matter to identify the source of the cash the officials had amassed.

The unearthing of Rs 4.7 crore in new notes points to the involvement of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other bank officials, Eshwarappa added.

Subsequently, Parameshwara announced that the two officials have been suspended. He said that at a time when the common man had been put to hardship due to the demonetisation move, the two officials had brought disrepute to the administrative system.

“The two officials have been suspended with immediate effect. Further action will be initiated after the government obtains a report from the I-T department. I myself had not seen the new Rs 2,000 note. Recovery of such a huge amount is an insult to the administrative machinery. The Centre and RBI should take serious note of the issue,” he said.

‘Needle of suspicion points to CM’

The BJP has charged that the two senior engineers were close confidants of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and demanded a thorough probe into it.

“Mere suspension of the officials will not do. Those who are high and mighty are involved in amassing of wealth by the officials...The needle of suspicion points to the chief minister. How can anybody get hold of new currency notes in such large numbers?” Leader of the Opposition Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar said.

Former deputy chief minister R Ashoka said the I-T raids have proved that the state government is corrupt. It has appointed a lower-rank officer as head of the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam, he stated.

Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah denied reports in a section of the media that the suspended engineers are close to him. “Officials are just officials. They are not close to anybody. The question of protecting corrupt officials does not arise,” he added.