Karnataka: Complaint filed against Kumarswamy over candidate affidavits

A complaint has been lodged against Former Chief Minister H.D Kumaraswamy to the Lokayukta. 

A social activist named C.N Siddaraju has filed the complaint. This is pertaining to the affidavit filed by Kumaraswamy during the state elections held earlier this year. Certain discrepancies have been noted in the disclosures made by Kumaraswmy in the affidavit. 

During the 2004 election, he disclosed having 24 acres of land in the Kittanahalli village. In various surveys and in his interactions with the media, he had stated that he purchased land amounting to 1,2,3 or 4 acres. He claimed to have procured a donation from his aunt Savithramma for this purpose. 

Was Savithramma a means for Kumarswamy’s benami transaction? What was her source of income? In his affidavit in the 2018 election, he disclosed a purchase made for his house in J.P Nagar in Bengaluru. In the 2023 election, the same house has been cited as having been purchased in 1995. 

Anitha Kumaraswamy procured a loan of Rs 9.50 crore from Kupendra Reddy. In 2022 when Kupendra Reddy contested for a Rajya Sabha seat, he made a donation of Rs 4 crore to Chinnambale films. Siddaraju has alleged that Kumarswamy has fully disclosed his assets in the affidavit.