Governor asks Chief Secretary to look into complaint against Narayana Gowda
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Governor Vajubhai R. Vala has requested Chief Secretary P. Ravi Kumar to look into a personal complaint that has alleged Minister for Municipal Administration and Horticulture K.C. Narayan Gowda of declaring false affidavits on annual earnings filed earlier than the Lokayukta and the Election Commission.
The complaint had sought sanction for prosecution beneath Section 19 of Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 197 of Criminal Procedure Code.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary on February 15, the Special Secretary to the Governor within the Governor’s Secretariat has, with permission from the Governor, forwarded “for further necessary action” the complaint obtained from social activist Dinesh Kallahalli. In the complaint to the Governor on January 13, 2021, Mr. Kallahalli had alleged that the Minister, who has been elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from K.R. Pete, had made a mistaken declaration of annual earnings, and that there have been discrepancies in the identical.
Mr. Gowda has been a member of the legislative Assembly from K.R. Pete in Mandya district since 2013, and has been elected thrice, twice on the JD(S) ticket and lately from the BJP in 2019. He was among the many 17 Congress-JD(S) legislators who switched sides after resigning, main to the autumn of the JD(S)-Congress coalition authorities in 2019 July.
Mr. Kallahalli, in his complaint, alleged that Mr. Gowda possessed wealth and property disproportionate to his recognized sources of earnings. “This amounts to criminal misconduct by a public servant under provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, and Representation of People Act, and Indian Penal Code,” he mentioned within the complaint.
Mr. Kallahalli relied on the affidavits filed by Mr. Gowda with the Lokayukta between 2012-2013 and 2017-2018, and the election affidavit in 2013 and 2018. He alleged that between the affidavit filed earlier than the Lokayukta for the monetary 12 months 2016-2017 and the election affidavit in 2018, the Minister’s belongings went up by a whopping 2,300%.
Sources shut to the Minister, nevertheless, mentioned that the Chief Secretary was not the authority to sanction prosecution, and that the Cabinet has to resolve on the problem.
Sources within the authorized fraternity mentioned the Governor has not sought any opinion from the State however has merely forwarded the letter for additional motion. The process is that it’s going to go to the Cabinet via the division involved, and the Cabinet will advise the Governor. In the sooner case involving B.S.Yediyurappa, the Cabinet resolved not to grant sanction against him however the then Governor H.R. Bharadwaj had granted sanction.
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