Bengaluru: According to sources, Prithvi Reddy, the Karnataka Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has submitted a letter of appeal to the Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, seeking a judicial probe into allegations of 40 per cent commission in government tenders.
Speaking to mediapersons on Tuesday December 7, Reddy said that D. Kempanna, President of the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association, has exposed the corruption and illegalities involved in the tender works in a letter to the Prime Minister. “He had revealed percentage details in government departments such as the Public Works Department, the Minor Irrigation and Water Resources Department, the Major Irrigation Department, the Panchayat Raj Department, the Health Department, and BBMP. These are serious allegations that must be thoroughly investigated,” stressed Reddy.
He also said that, “With regard to the illegalities, we had filed a petition to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, asking an inquiry under the leadership of a High Court judge.”
Reddy went on to say that the Chief Secretary, on the other hand, has been instructed by the CM to look into tenders from the last three months. It would be inappropriate to do so as the illegalities have been going on for a long time. Apart from that, we oppose the Chief Secretary’s probe as there are allegations of government employees and MLAs being involved.”
They claimed in the letter that corruption in tender works is hampering the State’s development works and is unfair to taxpayers. A thorough investigation and conviction of those who are guilty will only add to the public’s trust in the system. According to sources, it was mentioned in the letter that Illegal assets of corrupt representatives and officers should go to the government treasury and used for the State’s growth. “Therefore, you should order the government to initiate an investigation under the leadership of a sitting High Court judge into the illegalities that have occurred in all tender works over the last ten years under different parties,” demanded the AAP leader in the letter.
