Kempanna and four other office-bearers of Karnataka State Contractor’s Association arrested, released on bail

Bengaluru

High drama prevailed on Saturday night as five office-bearers of the Karnataka State Contractor’s Association, including its president D. Kempanna, who has been at the forefront of the fight against the alleged “40% commission” in contracts awarded by the State government, were arrested by the Vyalikaval police. They were granted bail around midnight.

The police arrested Mr. Kempanna, vice-presidents R. Ambikapathy and V. Krishna Reddy, treasurer H.S. Nataraj, and organising secretary B.S. Gurusiddappa of the association. The arrests were made executing the non-bailable warrants (NBWs) issued against them by VIII ACMM Court hearing a criminal defamation case filed by Minister of Horticulture, Planning, Programme Monitoring and Statistics Munirathna over corruption allegations made by Mr. Kempanna and others against him.

All the five who were arrested were produced before the magistrate at his residence. The magistrate granted them bail, following which they were released.

In August 2022, Mr. Kempanna had without naming Mr. Munirathna said the district in-charge Minister of Kolar had been threatening officials to collect and get him money. Mr. Munirathna, who initially gave a seven-day ultimatum to furnish evidence to back the claim, later filed a civil defamation claiming ₹50 crore in damages and a criminal defamation case against Mr. Kempanna and 18 other-office bearers of the association.

Meanwhile, the VIII ACMM Court hearing the criminal defamation case found prima facie merit in the case and ordered registration of a criminal case and issued summons to all the 19 respondents. On Thursday, the court issued NBWs against all the respondents after they failed to attend the court.

Coming amidst the ongoing legislature session in Belagavi, the issue is expected to kick up a political storm.

Priyank Kharge, spokesperson, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, said the contractors’ association was a registered organisation carrying out the State government’s works and allegations made by it to the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister warranted an impartial inquiry. “But what we are seeing now is only harassment of whistleblowers, which only shows that the government has something to hide,” he said, adding that the Congress would take up the matter in the legislature on Monday.