Kumaraswamy alleges 'cover-up' of Ballari firing, seeks CBI probe

Bengaluru, Jan 5 (PTI) Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Monday alleged a systematic conspiracy by the Karnataka government to "cover up" the recent Ballari firing incident and demanded a CBI probe into the death of a Congress worker.

He also claimed that the victim’s body was illegally subjected to two post-mortem examinations.

Citing what he described as a "collapse of law and order" in Karnataka, he demanded that the case be handed over to the CBI.

Addressing a press conference at the JD(S) State office, JP Bhavan, Kumaraswamy said the issue was not just the killing of a party worker but the alleged attempts by the government to shield those responsible.

He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and State Home Minister G Parameshwara of making contradictory statements and "failing" to act decisively.

“As per the information available to me, Congress worker Rajashekhar’s body was subjected to post-mortem examination twice,” Kumaraswamy said.

He suggested that the second autopsy was conducted as part of an effort to "alter the narrative" surrounding the shootout.

He questioned the need for a second autopsy. “What were the findings of the first post-mortem report? What does the second post-mortem report say? Why was a second post-mortem conducted, and who exerted pressure for it?” Kumaraswamy alleged that pellets were found during the first examination and that a second post-mortem was used to falsely fix responsibility on Gangavathi BJP MLA G Janardhana Reddy.

Calling the state government’s probe "meaningless", the Union Minister said conflicting claims by the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister had eroded public trust.

“Under these circumstances, what kind of investigation can this government conduct?” he asked, reiterating his demand for a CBI inquiry.

Kumaraswamy also questioned the selective suspension of officials. “If the SP is at fault, aren’t the Additional SP and IG also responsible?” Alleging political bias in the handling of the case, Kumaraswamy charged the government with "protecting" the accused, including a close associate of Ballari MLA Nara Bharath Reddy.

According to him, law and order has completely collapsed in the state.

Tension flared up in Ballari on January 1 after clashes allegedly broke out between supporters of BJP MLA Janardhana Reddy and Congress MLA Bharath Reddy over the installation of banners.

Rajashekhar was killed in the firing and police have detained three private security guards of Bharath Reddy's supporter Sathish Reddy.

The police have arrested 26 people in connection with multiple incidents of violence, including stone-pelting and firing.

The BJP has alleged that this was an attempt to eliminate Janardhana Reddy as petrol bombs were also ferried to the venue, right next to his house in Ballari.

Karnataka Home Minister Parameshwara said the state government was mulling handing over the matter to the CID. PTI GMS GMS ROH