Stirring a controversy on the eve of the voting day in Karnataka, Congress on Friday submitted a video sting of alleged bribery by BJP heavyweight B Sriramulu to the Election Commission seeking his disqualification as a candidate.
Sriramulu, tipped to be the deputy chief minister if the BJP wins, is fighting from two seats including Badami against the incumbent chief minister Siddaramaiah.
A delegation of Congress leaders led by Kapil Sibal submitted a memorandum along with a 40-minute video sting dated July 1, 2010 to the EC showing Sriramulu along with mining scam accused Janardhana Reddy in talks with the son-in-law of former Supreme Court chief justice ostensibly seeking a favourable judgment in the mining case.
BJP president Amit Shah dismissed the videos as “possible fake sting operation”.
However, calling it a clear cut case of bribery in lieu of a favourable judgment, Sibal said, “We asked EC that a FIR be registered against all involved. Sriramulu should be immediately disqualified.”
The Congress said, Sriramulu and three other individuals (identified as G Janardhan Reddy, Captain Reddy and Swamiji) are seen sitting with the son-in-law of former CJI, ostensibly discussing payment of money to the son-in-law to secure a favourable SC judgment for Reddy brothers.
“Upon viewing the video, there can be no doubt as to the agenda of the meeting taking place,” the memorandum alleged.
The Congress also asked the EC to lift the ban imposed on the screening of the video by the chief electoral officer of Karnataka.
“This must be part of the public discourse to the extent to which the judiciary as well as the political class has degenerated in getting favourable orders. As you know one day before the retirement of the CJI, an order was given in favour of B Sriramulu and Reddy brothers,” the Congress said.
Accusing the BJP of spreading hatred amongst voters by putting up promos in a regional channel, referring to the Congress as a force of disintegration and the BJP as a nationalist force, the Congress delegation also asked the EC to exercise its powers under Article 324 to put a stop to such vicious propaganda.
THE VIDEO STING AND BJP’S COUNTER
The 40-minute video sting dated July 1, 2010 shows Sriramulu along with scam accused Janardhana Reddy in talks with the son-in-law of former SC chief justice ostensibly seeking a favourable judgment in the mining case.
BJP president Amit Shah dismissed the videos as “possible fake sting operation”.
