‘Cash gifts to journalists’: Karnataka CM Bommai denies allegations, blames ‘Congress toolkit’

It is clear that during the Congress’s tenure they had handed out various gifts to several people, the chief minister alleged, citing that gold coins, iPhones and laptops were handed out as gifts. “They don’t have any moral authority to speak about the issue,” Bommai said.

On a complaint filed with the Lokayukta in the wake of the allegation, the BJP leader said the matter will be investigated. “It is not right to infer that all journalists took these gifts. Let the investigation be completed,” he said.

The Bommai administration has been under fire from Opposition parties in the state after it emerged that wads of cash were allegedly kept inside sweet boxes distributed from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on the occasion of Diwali. The Congress has sought a probe as well as Bommai’s resignation in the wake of the allegations.

To questions on the death of police inspector K H Nandish, Bommai said directions will be issued to the police to collect all information and conduct a probe into the incident. “We won’t hesitate to conduct a thorough probe,” he said. Following the inspector’s death on October 27, a video had gone viral in which state small-scale industries minister M T B Nagaraj was heard alluding to bribes paid by the official for the posting.

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