K’taka Guv asks state govt to send report on confidential information leak

Bengaluru, Sep 20 (IANS) Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has written a letter to the state government asking for information regarding the leak of confidential information sent by the Lokayukta to the Governor's office, sources confirmed on Friday. 

Sources said that this is the Governor’s second letter while the first letter was sent to the government seeking clarification on August 28. The Lokayukta had written a letter to the Governor seeking consent for prosecution against opposition leaders. 

However, acting upon this letter, a decision has been made in the cabinet meeting and the cabinet advice is sent to the Governor. 

The Governor has asked the government to clarify on how they could access the confidential information, sources said.

The Governor expressed his displeasure over the cabinet’s decision over the letter of Lokayukta to grant permission for prosecution. 

The Governor has sought information from Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, and the Lokayukta Special Investigation Team (SIT). The Chief Secretary has also been directed to conduct an inquiry in this regard and submit a report.

After the call from the Raj Bhavan, the details of decisions taken in the cabinet meeting held by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar were submitted. In that, the additional agendas of the Cabinet meeting were not made available. 

However, the media reported that the Cabinet had advised the Governor to give sanctions for prosecution against Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, BJP former ministers Janardhana Reddy, Murugesh Nirani, and Shashikala Jolle much earlier.

The Governor had asked how the cabinet could discuss confidential information available to the Governor’s office. How did the Lokayukta SIT’s letter written to the Governor be made public? How could the report reach the government and be discussed in the cabinet meeting? The Governor has asked the authorities to submit an honest report, sources said.

The state government and the Governor are in confrontational mode in Karnataka following the permission for prosecution against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was granted in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case. The Congress leaders are openly criticising the Governor’s action as biased and demanding sanctions against Kumaraswamy, Shashikala Jolle, Janardhana Reddy and Nirani.

The Governor had sought information regarding all the Lokayukta cases that were withdrawn by the Congress government. The Congress government in turn is all set to curtail the powers of the Governor in appointing the Vice Chancellors for the Universities. 

Meanwhile, in fresh trouble for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, a new submission has been made against him to the Karnataka Governor involving the MUDA.

The fresh submission accuses him of carrying out projects worth hundreds of crores in his constituency through oral orders, violating the Karnataka Urban Development Authority Act and the Governor has sought a report from the government over the matter.