Karnataka CM suspects BJP, its 'brother' responsible for 'fake letter' against Agri Minister

Karnataka CM questions BJP and JDS over a “fake” letter accusing Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy of bribery.

Updated on: Aug 8, 2023, 11:32:45 IST

PTIPosted by Yamini C S

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has questioned whether the BJP or its "brother" was behind a "fake letter" accusing Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy of demanding bribes from officials after the Governor asked the government to probe the complaint.

The "brother" remark was an apparent dig at JD(S) leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy. (ANI)

The "brother" remark was an apparent dig at JD(S) leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy. The opposition BJP and the JD(S) have been warming up to each other after the recent Assembly elections.

In the letter purportedly criticising Cheluvarayaswamy, seven assistant agriculture directors posted in Mandya district have accused the minister of demanding ₹6 to 8 lakh from officers of the department.

READ | Karnataka AAP President writes to CM on corruption charges against Minister Cheluvarayaswamy

The complainants, in the letter, threatened to end their lives along with their family members if such corrupt practices are not stopped.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday tweeted: "It has come out that the letter in circulation in the public domain is fake. The joint agriculture director has already clarified that no officers in the district have written such a letter," he added.

"The leaders of BJP, are you the creator of such a fake letter spreading slander against the government or your brother?" he tweeted.

The Chief Minister said the matter would be reviewed by the government and assured that an investigation would be conducted, if necessary.

After receiving the letter, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot referred it to Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma on August 1 to look into the issue and take required action as per the rules.

READ | ‘Will answer accordingly,’ DKS on corruption allegations by HD Kumaraswamy

Minister Cheluvarayaswamy too said the letter to the Governor against him appears to be fake and said that he would try to ascertain its authenticity.

Cheluvarayaswamy said he spoke to Agriculture Joint Director of Mandya district V S Ashoka, who said it was a fake letter.

Meanwhile, Ashoka convened a meeting on Monday with the assistant directors of all taluks in Mandya and enquired with them whether they wrote any letter to the Governor. "They all said in unison that they have not written any letter to the Governor," he told PTI.

Minister Cheluvarayaswamy said: "It appears to be a fake letter. Some people are trying to dig out something about me. I will ask the secretary of our department to investigate it."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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