Sanction for CBI probe against DKS is illegal: Karnataka CM

Defending his cabinet's move to withdraw approval for the CBI probe against Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in a disproportionate assets case, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, the sanction given by the previous BJP government is illegal.BJP has slammed the Karnataka cabinet's move to withdraw consent for a CBI investigation against Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in a disproportionate assets case, terming the decision illegal. The BJP also threatened to take legal action against the withdrawal of CBI probe agsint Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.
The cabinet on Thursday deemed the previous BJP government's move to give consent to the CBI to investigate the DA case against Shivakumar as not being in accordance with the law and decided to withdraw the sanction. The then BJP government had given the sanction on September 25, 2019 following which the central investigating agency registered an FIR against Shivakumar on October 3, 2020.The CBI has claimed that Shivakumar amassed wealth to the tune of Rs74.93 crore, disproportionate to known sources of his income from April 1, 2013 to April 30, 2018, when he was the Energy Minister in the then Siddaramaiah-led Congress government of 2013-2018.
"What we have said is that the sanction given is illegal. For an inquiry on any government servant, the government will have to give sanction. If it is a minister, the Governor should give sanction, and if it is an MLA, the Speaker has to give it. Here the Speaker's permission was not taken. Shivakumar was an MLA when sanction was given," Siddaramaiah said.Speaking to reporters in Bangaluru, he said that even before the Advocate General gave his opinion, the order was issued consenting for the CBI to investigate the case by the Chief Secretary, on the basis of oral instructions of the then Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. "We have said this is illegal, as it is not in accordance with law," he added.

(Dr Mysi Patil,State Correspondent)