Addressing the media, BJP leader R Ashoka stated that the complainants never provided any evidence of the purported 40% commission, which was used to target the BJP government between 2021 and 2023.
“The Lokayukta never received any evidence of the alleged 40 percent commission given by the contractors. Both Kempanna and Ambikapathy acted as a toolkit of the Congress party and filed the case. But the Lokayukta dismissed the case, saying there was never any evidence produced to substantiate the claims,” he said.
R Ashok went on to say that the ruling Congress came to power in Karnataka by making false claims against the BJP government and providing false guarantees to voters. He predicted that the ruling Congress party would face defeat in the coming future and its leaders would be forced to stay home.
Meanwhile, the Lokayukta has commented on the issue and stated that there was no key evidence in the complaint.
Lokayukta speaks to India Today on 'clean chit to BJP' in 40% commission case, says ' no proof in key complaint.' India Today's @sagayrajp with more details.#News #Karnataka @snehamordani #IndiasAgenda #ITVideo pic.twitter.com/WLCfKcHhJU
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) November 18, 2024
The former minister, accompanied by former deputy chief minister and Chitradurga MP Govind Karjol, alleged Kempanna was jobless and had not taken any contract in the last six years, which provoked him to make allegations of having paid a 40% commission being proved baseless.
Responding to the reports of clean chit, former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa stated that the Lokayukta found no evidence to support the 40% commission. “At least now, I urge the Congress govt to stop spreading lies about the 40 percent commission,” he tweeted.
Further BJP Karnataka also stated that the Congress was now exposed and that it would soon get captured in its own web of lies.
ತಾನೇ ಹೆಣೆದ ಬಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಶೀಘ್ರದಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಸಿಲುಕಿ ಹಾಕಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲಿದೆ ಭ್ರಷ್ಟ @INCKarnataka!!#CongressLiesExposed pic.twitter.com/4FwKfowgBs
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) November 18, 2024
However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah blatantly dismissed the clean chit, stating it does not mean no wrongdoing occurred. “Just because the BJP claims it received a clean chit does not mean no wrong has happened. There are two ways in which a case is dismissed at the courts. One of the ways is that the evidence could not substantiate the wrongdoing. I have not read the order myself, but I will look into it,” he said.
Siddaramaiah further reiterated that he has seen many cases where there is insufficient evidence to show guilt, and courts cannot hold the accused accountable for their misdeeds. “If a murder has happened but there is a lack of evidence and the accused is let go, that does not mean the murder has not happened. As per jurisprudence, the benefit of the doubt goes to accused persons. Meanwhile, we have already set up a judicial commission to probe the 40 percent commission and am yet to receive its report,” he said.
Last year, Home Minister Amit Shah challenged the Congress to go to the Courts if they had evidence against the BJP in the given case. This is after Congress’ Rahul Gandhi alleged that BJP was the most corrupt party in India and that the corrupt money was used to steal MLAs of the other parties.
“They can talk about it and should go to court if they have concrete evidence. Neither there’s any probe nor there’s any case. How will people believe in such baseless allegations?” Shah then had said.
The 40% commission remark was in response to the Karnataka State Contractors Association’s charges that government officials, Karnataka BJP MLAs, and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa demanded a 40% commission or bribe from contractors on every project. However, now the Lokayukta has given a clean chit to the party exposing the lies of the Congress.
