Karnataka BJP MLA ticket scam: Key accused claims involvement of top party leadership
Bengaluru (IANS). Hindu activist Chaitra Kundapura, the main accused in the Karnataka BJP MLA ticket scam, has claimed involvement of the party’s top leadership in the crime. Sources gave this information on Monday.
In a letter to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Kundapura has demanded that the transactions of the complainant in his case, industrialist Govinda Babu Pujari, be investigated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. He also expressed his willingness to cooperate in the investigation.
Sources further said that Chaitra had made these revelations in a letter written to the ED before his arrest.
He had written this letter after Pujari, who had paid more than Rs five crore, started demanding his money back after not getting the ticket.
An associate of Pujari had given Rs 5 crore in cash.
The priest himself also talked to him about this. He had transferred money for the ticket to contest the MLA election. He gave Rs 1 crore to Manjunath, Rs 1.5 crore to Abhinav Halshree and Rs 1.5 crore to Vishwanath ji. Three crore rupees were given to.
He claimed that he had advised the priest to lodge a police complaint.
Chaitra claimed that she worked in a private company in Bengaluru and had confirmed illegal transactions with industrialist Govind Babu Pujari.
This person had settled in Mumbai for some time and did business. He runs a catering industry in Bengaluru.
Chaitra said in her complaint, “He wanted a BJP ticket for the assembly. Since I was a journalist, I wanted to conduct a sting operation on money transactions. So I contacted Govinda Babu Pujari and his associate Prasad to gather information. Called the priest.”
“I was in touch with people close to the businessman and was gathering information with the intention of exposing him,” she said.
He also alleged in his complaint that fortunately he did not get a BJP ticket to contest the MLA election. Generally, political parties do not give posts to leaders after elections are declared. But, surprisingly, BJP made Govind Babu Pujari the secretary of Backward Class Morcha.
After posting, he campaigned for BJP candidate Gururaj Ganthiholi on Bandur seat. During the election campaign, Govind Babu Pujari began to be identified with state and national leaders. “I strongly suspect the involvement of influential politicians in this scam,” his complaint said.
Sources reveal that Chaitra has said in the complaint that he did not have evidence to prove these allegations and that he had recorded the call of Govind Babu Pujari that he had lost Rs 6 crore for a BJP ticket and had advised him to File a complaint with the police.
Karnataka Police has arrested Chaitra Kundapura and his associates for committing a fraud of Rs 5 crore and threatening industrialist Govind Babu Pujari by promising him an assembly ticket from BJP.
Prominent religious leader Abhinav Halashree is absconding in the case.
