Bengaluru: The opposition,s allegations against the state government over the single number lottery scam have prompted the state govt to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The Chief Minister, Siddaramiah at a press conference on Tuesday evening made it official “My government is in no mood to cover up any officials and politicians as alleged by opposition parties,” he retorted to oppositions’ claims.
The CM began his press meet expressing subtle sarcasm saying though single number lottery was banned on March 27, 2007, and the Lottery and Excise Enforcement Wing was established, it was rampant in the state. The illegal lottery and Matka were prevalent while H D Kumaraswami, B S Yeddyurappa, D V Sadananda Gowda and Jagaish Shettar were holding tenure as Chief Ministers.
Referring to official papers, he said, a number of cases has been lodged in this connection, and officials arrested. He pointed that there were gamblers in the bygone days and so as now.
Commenting on developments in the scame, he said his government took stringent action in connection with the lottery scam. The government ordered CID probe. After CID filed interim report in this regard with the DG & IG, state suspended senior IPS officer Alok Kumar on suspicion of his links with king pin Pari Raj. The government also suspended Superintendent of Police Dharmendra.
On the other hand he took jibe at former Prime Minister, Deve Gowda saying the latter once called the CBI as Chor Bachao Samsthe but now is batting for the same institution. “Why Deve Gowda did not agree to give Gaali Janardhana Reddi’s allegation targeting his son, former CM Kumaraswamy taking 150 crore bribe from Reddy to CBI?” he questioned. The CM opined that claims of Gowda that CM and Home Minister K J George are involved in scam was baseless and unbecoming of the former PM.
The state government has given many cases to the CBI. “Though the case could be investigated by CID, to uphold the credibility of state before the general public, the government has decided to give the case to the CBI,” he announced.
The scam unfolds
The single digit lottery, prevalent in many districts in Karnataka, has become a full blown scam that has drawn into its web, senior police officers. A news channel tweeted quoting JD(S) leader H D Kumarswamy as saying that lottery scam amounts to Rs. 2000 crore.
For the moment ACP Alok Kumar has been suspended, while earlier, Superintendent of Police (Lottery Squad) Dharanesh for his failure in tackling the lottery racket.
Single Digit lottery was banned in the state from 2007, but the business has been thriving in many districts of Karnataka, apparently with support of the police at the top level. Paari Rajan, the alleged kingpin in the illegal lottery racket was arrested by the police earlier this month from Bangarapet in Kolar district. After the CID apprised the CM of the possible nexus between police officials and Rajan, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah handed over the case to the CID on May 9.
The Central Investigation Department (CID) which has been probing the case, submitted a preliminary report of its findings on Friday May 22nd to the Chief Secretary of the State, Kaushik Mukherjee.
The CID began its probe after interrogating Paari Rajan. They called for the Call record details of all the officials named by Rajan during the interrogation, and in the interim report named Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Alok Kumar on two grounds: a) prohibiting a government official from discharging his duties and, b) the two had exchanged 151 calls over a certain period of time. SP Dharanesh’s name also was mentioned in the report as being in contact with the kingpin. It has been reported elsewhere that Alok Kumar had tried to stall the arrest of Rajan when a sub-inspector went to the Rajan’s residence to arrest him. Alok Kumar has denied the allegations though he has not denied knowing Rajan.
Sources claim that two ADGPs, three IGPs, two retired DG&IGPs along with 30 police officers have been named in the CID report. Another report claims that monetary transaction also took place between an IGP-rank officer and Rajan.
Alok Kumar interrogated
CID sleuths on Sunday interrogated suspended Bengaluru additional commissioner of police Alok Kumar on his alleged nexus with lottery scam kingpin Paari Rajan.”A team of four officers interrogated Kumar for over seven hours since afternoon on his meetings and conversations with Rajan on the basis of mobile and landline call records in connection with the illegal single digit lottery scheme in the state,” a CID official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told IANS.
As the interrogation continued on Monday, the official declined to share more details but said the role of other serving and retired police officers who figure in the CID report would be investigated.
An IPS officer of 1994 batch, Kumar’s name figured two-three times along with that of five other high-ranking police officers in the report on the multi-crore lottery scam, thriving across Karnataka despite an official ban, as such schemes were operative in neighboring Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
