Hassan (Karnataka), Nov 8 : Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy has accused government officials in Karnataka’s Hassan district of demanding large bribes to clear official files and approve administrative work. He released 15 pages of purported WhatsApp conversations on Sunday, claiming they contained evidence of widespread corruption.
Addressing a press conference in Hassan, Kumaraswamy alleged that officials were demanding money to process crusher-related files, land conversion proposals and other government work.
Rs 60 Lakh Allegedly Demanded to Clear Crusher Files
The Union Minister claimed that Rs 60 lakh was demanded to clear three crusher-related files. According to him, Rs 50 lakh was intended for the senior official concerned, while the remaining Rs 10 lakh was meant to be distributed among other staff members.
Reading out an excerpt from one of the purported WhatsApp conversations, Kumaraswamy said the messages referred to payments being shared among drivers, security personnel, personal assistants and other employees.
He also alleged that bribes were being collected to approve land conversion applications and complete other official procedures.
Rs 75 Lakh Allegedly Paid to Retain Official Position
Kumaraswamy further alleged that Rs 75 lakh had been paid to ensure that a particular official continued in a specific government post.
He also read out another purported WhatsApp message in which the sender allegedly claimed to have collected money from different sources and transferred it through an intermediary.
However, the allegations and the authenticity of the released WhatsApp conversations have not been independently established.
Kumaraswamy Demands Detailed Police Investigation
Questioning the Karnataka government’s commitment to fighting corruption, Kumaraswamy said he had raised the issue to encourage action against alleged illegal payments within government departments.
He said he would appreciate the state government if it took serious steps to stop such practices.
The Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel urged senior police officials to seize the mobile phones allegedly used in the conversations and conduct a detailed investigation into the matter.
He maintained that a proper investigation was necessary to establish the facts and identify those involved.
Meanwhile, there was no immediate response from Hassan district authorities or the Karnataka state government regarding the allegations.
