Earlier in the day, the Congress alleged that top BJP leadership was paid Rs 1,800 crore by Yeddyurappa and termed it as a fit case to be looked into by the recently appointed Lokpal.
Armed with a statement from the Central Bureau of Direct Tax (CBDT) saying the loose sheets containing numerical entries against names – purportedly from a diary belonging to former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa – appear to be doubtful, the BJP on Friday slammed Congress for fabricating false evidence.
Earlier in the day, the Congress alleged that top BJP leadership was paid Rs 1,800 crore by Yeddyurappa and termed it as a fit case to be looked into by the recently appointed Lokpal.
"The authenticity of this diary, each page of which supposedly bears B S Yeddyurappa's signature, has to be investigated," said Congress spokesperson Surjewala, adding, "Prima facie, it reflects corruption of up to Rs 1,800 crore in the top echelons of BJP leadership."
Refuting the allegations, the CBDT said it had found the sheets – which are photocopies — during a raid on Congress leader DK Shivakumar premises and there is doubt about the authenticity and implication of their content as the originals are not available.
The CBDT put up a detailed clarification soon after Congress named several members of BJP's central election commission as alleged beneficiaries of pay-offs by Yeddyurappa.
CBDT said when confronted, Shivakumar could not disclose the source of the papers and stated that "he did not know the time period in which the said transactions took place and that he did not have the originals."
When asked why he had not brought this to the notice of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) or Karnataka Lokayukta, Shivakumar stated that as he "did not know about the genuineness of the said loose sheets, he did not inform the same to enforcement agencies."
CBDT said in a statement to the tax department in November 2017, Yeddyurappa denied that was his handwriting and signatures on the loose sheets and stated that "its contents were false and fabricated, and his name has been used to malign his political career."
"He also provided a sample of his handwriting to verify the genuineness of the sheets, and said they were fabricated with an intention to tarnish his political image," said the CBDT. It added that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Hyderabad could not examine the signatures and handwriting as Shivakumar failed to provide originals.
Rubbishing Congress's allegations, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "The Congress is desperate and has lost its balance and is resorting to spreading a web of lies."
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 "B S Yeddyurappa")
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