Bengaluru, September 19: Karnataka Police Mahasangha on Tuesday wrote a letter to Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala seeking sanction to prosecute Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for nepotism and misuse of power. It has also sought the Governor’s sanction to prosecute the Chief Minister following appointment of Hoskote MLA MTB Nagaraj as Chairman of a Bengaluru airport body. Also Read - 'Pubs Are Ruining Youngsters, Shut Them Down in All Districts', Demands Karnataka BJP Chief

In the letter, the Police Mahasangha said, “It is apparent that the Chief Minister seems violating the Oath of Office as per his whims and fancies. He has to be made accountable for this violation.” Also Read - Bengaluru Riots: No Evidence to Suggest Violence Was Communal in Nature, Says Report by Fact-finding Committee

“Though having absolutely no knowledge on the background of the candidate, Chief Minister is in the habit of making whimsical recommendation in helping his own partymen to the posts of Chairman to various Boards,” the letter said. Also Read - Seeking Divine Intervention! Karnataka Health Minister Writes Letter to Goddess to Make Him Deputy CM

The letter also mentioned eligibility criteria for a officer to hold such a post. It said a member of a planning authority, other than a person appointed as member by virtue of his office shall possess the following criteria:

1- He shall be ordinarily a resident in the local planning area.

2- He must be associated with town planning work at least for one year.

3- He must be a qualified town planner or architect or engineer practising in the state for a period of not less than five years.

4- He must be a specialist such as a Economist, Geographer, Sociologist or legal petitioner.

The letter also sought permission to initiate proceedings under Section 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and under various sections of the Indian Penal Code against the Chief Minister.

Income Tax raid on Nagaraj

Earlier this year, the Income Tax department claimed to have detected undisclosed income worth Rs 120 crore and seized cash worth Rs 1.10 crore and 10 kgs of gold after it conducted raids on Congress MLA Nagaraj. The department had conducted searches on multiple premises related to Hoskote MLA as part of its investigation into alleged tax evasion charges against him and others.

The department had found that the undisclosed income was created by way of “unaccounted property investment and construction of commercial property, hospital, houses, withdrawal of bogus unsecured loans for the amount which is actually revenue receipt” and even some cash deposits made on account of renting out convention halls and paying guest accommodation.

Over 3,500 land documents indicating “land ownership” of 560 acres allegedly by the Congress lawmaker and his associates were also seized, officials had said.

The taxmen had also probed payments worth Rs 70 crore “received by various independent landlords” connected to the MLA and where no capital gains were paid.

With inputs from Agencies