Karnataka Minister in trouble, Special Court directs filing criminal case in assets case

Karnataka Minister V Somanna may land in trouble as the special court for public representatives has dismissed the clean chit given to the Minister by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

In 2013, Ramakrishna, a complainant, alleged that V Somanna who was as an employee in Janatha Bazaar earlier, made illegal assets and his assets increased over 200 per cent.

As per Asianet Suvarna News report, the ACB after the investigation had given a clean chit to the Minister, however, Justice Jayanth Kumar, Judge, Special Court for elected representatives dismissed the report and ordered a criminal case and based on the documents submitted by the complainant, issued summons to the Minister. Somanna must appear before the court on April 16.

The development comes at a time when reports of a Cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka are doing the rounds. The Minister may also face upsets if the high command takes note of this issue seriously.

V Somanna is from the Lingayat community and defected to BJP from Congress 10 years ago and is a Yediyurappa follower. In 2018, he had to fight hard to get the ticket as Corporator Umesh Shetty was also eyeing the Govindrajnagar Assembly ticket and only after the high command convinced Shetty to give up his seat once, Sommanna could get the ticket. Somanna is also aspiring for Bengaluru in-charge portfolio and is giving tough fight to R Ashoka and CN Ashwath Narayan for the coveted post which is with CM Bommai.