Karnataka Audio Tape Row: FIR Filed Against Yeddyurappa, 3 Others

HD Kumaraswamy (left) and BS Yeddyurappa (right)

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Trouble mounts on Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP State President BS Yeddyurappa, as the Raichur district police registered an FIR against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, for allegedly trying to poach JD(S) MLA Naganagouda Kandkur’s son Sharanagouda, reported The Hindu.

The police registered a case against Yeddyurappa after Sharanagouda filed a complaint against him. Sharanagouda allegedly recorded his conversation with Yeddyurappa, who tried to bribe him with money and ministerial birth, which was released by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.

Sharanagouda also alleged that the accused threatened him of ending the political career of his father, if he did not move to the BJP camp, according to The Hindu.

The FIR has also been filed against two BJP MLAs Shivanagouda Naik of Devadurga and Preetham Gowda of Hassan and former journalist and adviser to Yeddyurappa MB Maramkal.

The three were allegedly present when Sharanagouda met Yeddyurappa and tried to induce him to switch sides at the Yadgir Circuit House on 8 February.

This comes after the Karnataka Assembly witnessed an uproar by the BJP legislators, who walked out in protest of formation of an SIT into the audio tape case, reported ANI.

On the direction of the speaker, Kumaraswamy had constituted an SIT to probe the matter within 15 days.

Meanwhile, MLA Preetam Gowda’s house was attacked allegedly by JDS workers at Hassan on Wednesday, police said, according to PTI.

Accusing Gowda of conspiring to topple the Congress-JD(S) government, the workers allegedly attacked his house by pelting it with stones.

A BJP worker sustained serious head injuries. He was later admitted to the hospital where his condition was stated to be stable, police said.

Angry over the attack on his house, Gowda held the JD(S) leadership responsible.

"The JD(S) rowdies attacked my house with an intention to kill me. Those people were taking the name of the chief minister," Gowda told reporters.

Yeddyurappa alleged that Kumaraswamy had instigated the attack.

(With inputs from The Hindu, ANI and PTI)