Bengaluru: Karnataka government is ready to hand over to CBI, “whenever necessary,” probe into alleged illegal lottery busines in the state, as a fall out of which a senior IPS officer has been suspended, Home Minister KJ George said on Monday.
“We are ready. Whenever necessary we will give it to CBI (for conducting an enquiry into the single digit illegal lottery scam),” Home Minister KJ George told reporters here.
Alok Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Police (West Bengaluru), was suspended on May 23 for his alleged illegal contact with Pari Rajan, said to be the kingpin in the scam, and for intefering in the investigation process. Rajan is already in police custody.
George said the government was also ready for the Enforcement Directorate probe if the central agency felt there was something fishy about the money trail, George said.
“As far as Enforcement Directorate probe is concerned, there is no need for the government to seek permission or make any recommendation. If they feel there is money trail is there, they can take over the case without our permission.”
Flaying the Opposition’s demand for CBI inquiry, he said while this government was ready for the probe, the opposition parties during their rule did not hand over a single case to the central investigation agency.
“Why this love for CBI now? Don’t they have any faith in our investigation agencies? This is very unfair,” he said.
Asked whether Governor, Vajubhai Vala had sought a report on the scam, George said, “If the Governor asks for it we will send it. We have nothing to hide. Everything is an open book.”
On how many more police officers’ names had been included in the CID report, George said, “As far as numbers are concerned, I have no idea about it.”
George said the report has recommended action against only one IPS officer Alok Kumar.
“The report had recommended action against one IPS officer, and we have suspended him. He is the second officer though. Earlier based on an IG report we had suspended one Dharnesh, a police official,” he said.
(Agencies)
