In an anti-climax, suspended Bharatiya Janata Party leader Janardhan Reddy, on Wednesday, failed to produce the much-touted 'evidence' through CDs to substantiate the Rs 150 crore bribery charge levelled by him against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his two ministerial colleagues.
After a high decibel campaign for weeks, Reddy reiterated his charge that Kumaraswamy, Forest Minister C Chennigappa and Home Minister M P Prakash were behind collecting money from mine owners by resorting to 'arm twisting and threatening tactics'.
A blurred video footage, purportedly containing conversation between mine owners and an exporter over the 'money collection' was only played to mediapersons at a crowded press conference.
Reddy claimed that he would release 'further evidence' at a later stage. He alleged that a large amount of money flowed into the account of Kavitha, wife of H D Balakrishna, the chief minister's brother. He said money also went into the accounts belonging to BSK Trading Corporation, a export house owned by the Gowda family.
"Huge funds were deposited to these accounts during March, April and May to BSK Trading corporation", he alleged.
The only clear video footage shown was one in which forest Minister Chennigappa's son says that they have invested about Rs 25 crore on a building being built by a trust named after Devegowda and his wife Chennamma.
Chennigappa's son has claimed that the funds spent by the family on the trust 'is our own money' and another Rs 25 crore would flow to it shortly.
Reddy alleged that 'it is the money that has come from mine owners of Bellary'.
Reddy, who was suspended from the BJP after he levelled the bribetaking charge, did not tender evidence on Monday to back his charge against Prakash or his son Ravi.
Demanding that the IT department bring under scanner the transactions of BSK Trading Corporation and others conducted by Gowda's family, Reddy also sought a CBI probe into the allegations.
