In a fresh blow to former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, under attack from critics for keeping 62 legislators locked away in a resort in a show of strength that rattled the BJP high command and incumbent chief minister and rival D.V. Sadananda Gowda, excise minister M.P. Renukacharya, a staunch follower of the former chief minister is to be probed for violation of excise rules.
The Lokayukta court on Saturday ordered the Lokayukta police to probe and file a report on alleged violation of excise rules, based on the statement of Deputy Commissioner-Excise, Mr Mohan Kumar, who claimed that the some of the alcohol bottles, seized, were meant for the minister. Mr Mohan Kumar, who is presently under judicial custody on corruption charges, while deposing before Judge N.K. Sudhindra Rao, said he had kept a few bottles of expensive whiskey on the directions of the minister.
“The minister had directed me to keep aside three bottles of Johnny Walker whiskey, one measuring 4.5 litres and the other two one litre each, to be later sent to a resort,” said advocate C.G. Sundar, quoting Mr Mohan Kumar. The judge, who took the oral statement as a complaint that some of the seized bottles were meant for the minister, later directed the Lokayukta police to probe and file a report to the court on whether the minister has misused his office, attracting charges under Prevention of Corruption Act. Mr Renukacharya could not be reached for comment.