Binish Thomas (Sub-Editor)
The Amr
uthahalli police on Thursday registered First Information Report (FIR) Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy and former JD(S) MLC HM Ramesh Gowda for allegedly demanding Rs.50 crore from a city based realtor and party member and threatening with dire consequences if the money is not paid.
Based on the complaint by,Vijay Tata,a resident of Dasarahalli,booked Ramesh as prime accused and Kumaraswamy as A2,charging them under section 308(2) (extortion) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation).
According to VIjay Tata,58,he was in the party since 2018,and made in charge of the social media campaigns for the Mandya constituency in 2019 during the Lok Sabha elections and spent “crores of rupees from his personal accounts .
He also claimed that he was appointed as the vice-president of the party’s social media wing by HD Deve Gowda at his Padmanabhanagar residence in the presence of Kumaraswamy.
The JD(S),in their official note clarified that Tata was neither associated with the party nor with its social media wing.
Tata has alleged that on August 24,Ramesh Gowda came to his house and spoke about Channapatna by-election.
Tata claimed that Gowda told him that the party finalised giving the ticket to Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy and sought his participation in party activities.
Further,Tata alleged that Gowda called Kumaraswamy over the phone and made him to speak where Kumaraswamy allegedly demanded Rs.50 crore towards the Channapatna by-election expenses .
When Tata told Kumaraswamy that he didn’t have such a large amount,the Union Minister allegedly threatened him stating that it would be difficult to run real estate business and to live in the city.
Meanwhile,Gowda, too,told Tata to keep Rs.50 crore ready and demanded additional Rs.five crore for “building temple and school”and threatened consequences if he didn’t comply,as per the FIR.
Tata claimed that Gowda sent him WhatsApp messages on August 30,September 6 and September 11,regarding the same.
