Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Sep 5: Former deputy superintendent of police (DySP) Anupama Shenoy on Tuesday, September 5, said that she had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to direct a probe by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the Hublot watch controversy pertaining to chief minister Siddaramaiah.

Speaking to mediapersons here, Anupama said, "I have written to PM Modi and requested a CBI probe into the Rs 70 lac Hublot watch controversy involving chief minister Siddaramaiah. I have submitted a 33-page document along with other reports to the police. I will submit additional documents to police officials during the investigation."

It may be recalled, on March 2, 2016, after the controversy erupted, CM Siddaramaiah had returned the Hublot watch to former Vidhana Sabha speaker Kagodu Thimmappa and declared that Dr Girish Chandra Varma, who reportedly gifted him the watch, does not have anything to do with the government of Karnataka. Lokayukta, which was handling the investigation, was disbanded on March 14, 2016, stalling the probe half-way. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) then gave a clean chit to CM Siddaramaiah in the case by closing the inquiry at the preliminary stage itself in March earlier this year.

Shenoy said, "The Hublot watch was given to Siddaramaiah by Dr Girish Chandra Varma, a doctor working in the hospital owned by a UAE-based businessman. Two multi-crore projects were handed over to the businessman's company in August 2016 where Dr Girish Chandra Varma works.

"Based on the incidents and documents, the government should file FIR and CBI investigation should be conducted against Siddaramaiah, R V Deshpande, Pramod Madhwaraj, Kagodu Thimmappa, Ramesh Kumar, Mahadevappa, T B Jayachandra, Rajanish Goyal, Dr Shalini Rajaneesh, former DC Venkatesh, Dr Girish Chandra Varma and others," she urged.

"The police department, revenue department and other departments have become stagnant. Police officials are suffering and are suppressed by politicians. There is no respect for police personnel these days," she added.

Shenoy also said that she will reveal many more scandals of politicians and businessmen associated with Udupi in the coming days.