CID to probe corruption charges in Parashurama Theme Park Project

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) into the alleged corruption charges in the implementation of the Parashurama Theme Park Project at Bailoor in Karkala taluk of Udupi district.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) into the alleged corruption charges in the implementation of the Parashurama Theme Park Project at Bailoor in Karkala taluk of Udupi district.

In an order on Tuesday, Mr. Siddaramaiah said Women and Child Development and Udupi In-charge Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar recently wrote to him mentioning about corruption and poor implementation of the Parashurama Theme Park Project, which has come up atop Umikkal Hills in Bailoor.

She pointed out pro and anti-reports on the project which hurt religious sentiments of the people and sought an investigation either by the CID or any other investigation agency.

“Hence I have ordered for inquiry by the CID and necessary action against the wrongdoers,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

Then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai inaugurated the theme park on January 27, 2023. Mr. Bommai unveiled the 33-foot bronze statue of Parashurama, which is part of the ₹10 crore project. The theme park has an amphitheatre with a seating capacity of 1,000, a bhajan mandir, an art gallery, and a film studio.

The Congress workers alleged corruption in the project and said the statue was not fully made of bronze.