First complaint filed with ACB against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah himself

BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday gave verbal sanction to the Anti-corruption Bureau to investigate a criminal complaint against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act over a diamond-encrusted Hublot watch that was reportedly gifted to him.

Siddaramaiah has had to defend himself to his party high command over the watch that he used to wear, as well as over the creation of the ACB about 20 days ago.

The ACB, which works under the supervision of the department of administrative and personnel reforms headed by the CM himself, is seen as an attempt to shield corruption and to defang the powerful institution of the Karnataka Lokayukta, which was investigating corruption complaints till now.

The first complaint filed with the ACB, however, has been against the CM himself. Advocate S Nataraj Sharma has sought a criminal investigation into the antecedents of the Hublot watch.

"No one gives a Rs 70-lakh watch in gift without getting something in return. I want an investigation to find out what this is. The CM said the ACB is powerful and that the Tamil Nadu CM was arrested by their ACB. I want to test whether what he is saying is true," Sharma, who filed the complaint on Saturday, told ET.

As per the order that formed the ACB, sanction of the appointing authority of the accused has to be taken before any criminal complaint can be investigated under the Prevention of Corruption Act. It is not clear whether the appointing authority for the CM would be himself or the governor, but it is perceived to be the former.

In line with this, Siddaramaiah said on Sunday: "Let the inquiry happen. They said even a complaint cannot be filed against the CM by the ACB. Now the complaint is filed. They also have all the powers to investigate the CM."

Sharma said he welcomed this statement by the CM.

Former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde said any investigation ordered by the CM against himself would be only seen as "bogus."