Daijiworld Media Network - Tumakuru
Tumakuru, April 1: Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna has addressed the controversial honey-trap attempt allegedly targeting him, asserting that certain facts of the case cannot be revealed and that the decision to conduct a formal probe lies with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara.
Rajanna had previously made a statement on the floor of the Karnataka Assembly, claiming that political rivals had tried to honey-trap him in a bid to end his political career. This revelation has led to widespread speculation and controversy.
Following his statement, Rajanna submitted a petition to Home Minister Parameshwara, prompting the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to begin investigating the matter.
Speaking to reporters at Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru, Rajanna said, "Let the investigation into the honey-trap case proceed in whatever manner the government deems fit. If they want to issue me a notice, let them do so."
He continued, "I don’t know whether the case will be probed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or another agency. It is condemnable that certain individuals have stooped to such low levels. I am not targeting anyone with this statement – this applies to me as well."
The controversy surrounding the case has revealed deepening rifts within the ruling Congress party. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, and general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal have already intervened to resolve the issue.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to leave for New Delhi on Wednesday for a meeting with senior party leaders, where the honey-trap case and other important matters are expected to be discussed.
In a related development, the Kyatsandra police in Tumakuru city have arrested three individuals in connection with a conspiracy to murder Rajanna’s son, MLC Rajendra Rajanna. The Karnataka Police registered FIRs against five individuals, including three men and a woman, last Saturday in relation to the case.
MLC Rajendra Rajanna filed a complaint with the police, stating that due to his father’s strong political alignment with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he had become the target of political hostility from several influential figures in Bengaluru. He claimed these individuals had conspired to eliminate him politically. Following the emergence of an audio recording associated with the plot, the police arrested three individuals, including a woman, in connection with the case.
The CID has launched a thorough investigation into the honey-trap case. BJP MLA N Munirathna has alleged that Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is behind the honey-trap attempt, although Shivakumar has firmly denied the accusation.
Interestingly, Rajanna had travelled to New Delhi to meet with the Congress high command to discuss the potential replacement of Shivakumar as Karnataka Congress president.
Rajanna had also expressed his willingness to resign from his ministerial post and take over the position of state Congress president, currently held by Shivakumar. Furthermore, Rajanna has advocated for the creation of additional deputy chief minister posts and has called for the appointment of a Dalit chief minister for Karnataka.
Minister for Public Works Department (PWD) Satish Jarkiholi has publicly suspected the involvement of party insiders in the honey-trap attempt, which adds further intrigue to the case.
The FIR filed by MLC Rajendra regarding the conspiracy to murder has also taken on added significance in light of these revelations.
The Kyatsandra police in Tumakuru have named five individuals in the FIR concerning the murder conspiracy: Soma, Bharat, Amit, Gunda, and Yatish, with Soma identified as a history-sheeter.
The police have charged the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sections 109, 190, 329 (4), and 61 (2).
The investigation into both the honey-trap and the murder conspiracy continues, with political tensions rising over the allegations.