BENGALURU: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara announced on Tuesday that the state government will determine the course of action and the nature of the investigation into the alleged honeytrap attempt on Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna after consulting legal experts and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
This statement follows Rajanna’s submission of a representation to Parameshwara, requesting necessary action regarding the alleged incident.
During a press conference, Parameshwara stated that Rajanna had been unable to provide a representation or complaint due to his work commitments in recent days. However, he has now submitted it to me, as he mentioned in the Assembly. I have accepted it. The decision on further action and the nature of the investigation will be made after consulting with the Chief Minister.
Parameshwara clarified that he cannot receive the complaint, as it should be filed at the police station. He mentioned that what Rajanna submitted to him could be considered a representation or a plea. The appropriate action in accordance with the law will be determined after consulting legal experts.
When asked about the contents of the representation, Parameshwara declined to disclose details. Regarding a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court on the matter, he stated that the government would proceed independently without waiting for the court’s decision.
In response to questions about why the police did not file a suo moto case, Parameshwara explained that since the issue was raised in the Assembly, there should have been directions from the Speaker to take action. As there was no such directive, they had to wait for Rajanna to file a representation or complaint.
He refrained from responding to a question if there was a delay in action, as the ruling party leaders were allegedly behind the honey trapping scheme.
Last Thursday, Rajanna informed the Assembly that he was a victim of a honeytrap attempt, and that at least 48 politicians from various parties had also fallen victim to similar schemes.
The issue caused a commotion in the Assembly, leading the Home Minister to announce a high-level probe, while the opposition called for a judicial inquiry by a sitting High Court judge.
When asked if his representation was only related to his case or included the 48 politicians who were also victims, Rajanna clarified that his representation was solely about his own case.
When questioned if this was the first time such an incident had occurred, Rajanna responded by stating that the media was aware of how many cases had been brought to court. He emphasized that his goal was to stop these incidents, not to seek revenge or make baseless accusations.
Explaining why he chose to give a representation to the Home Minister instead of filing a police report, Rajanna mentioned that his decision was influenced by the developments in the Assembly, where his name was linked to the honey trap case.
Earlier that day, Rajanna informed the media in Tumakuru that he wanted strict action taken against those involved in or supporting honey trapping. He provided detailed information in a three-page note about the incidents.
Rajanna mentioned that he did not have CCTV cameras installed in his Bengaluru house, which could have helped identify the individuals involved in the honeytrap attempts.
He revealed that the individuals who tried to honeytrap him were strangers, and it was crucial to investigate whether they acted independently or had someone directing them.
Further elaborating, Rajanna disclosed that the same man had visited him twice during the alleged honeytrap attempts, with a different woman accompanying him each time.
The woman who visited for the second time identified herself as a High Court lawyer, although she was not dressed in traditional lawyer attire, opting instead for jeans and a blue top. She approached me with an air of importance, claiming that she had confidential information to discuss. Rajanna mentioned that he would be able to recognize her if he saw a photo of her.
In response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Apex Court regarding this matter, Rajanna clarified that the PIL called for a CBI investigation, alleging that he had mentioned the honey trapping of judges. However, Rajanna emphasized that he had not made any statements regarding judges.
When asked about his upcoming travel plans, Rajanna revealed that he would be traveling to Delhi after March 30. Regarding whether he would bring the issue to the attention of the Congress high command, Rajanna explained that the matter had already been brought to their attention. While the high command had not personally reached out to him for information, they had conducted their own investigation and spoken to the Chief Minister about the issue.
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