CBI to probe phone tapping charges in Karnataka: CM

Days after charges of phone tapping during the previous coalition government headed by JD(S) surfaced, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday said he will order a CBI probe into the allegations citing demands by several political leaders including Congress.

While former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who headed the coalition government said he was ready for a probe by even an "international agency", his alliance partner the Congress, however, seemed to be a divided house.

"On the telephone tapping issue. Several leaders, including Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah, have said it should be probed and truth should come out, so I have decided to order a CBI probe. Tomorrow itself I will order the probe," Yediyurappa told reporters here.

He also said it was the expectation of the people of the state that a detailed inquiry should be made and the culprits punished.

Yediyurappa's announcement comes amid signs that the scandal was gaining political steam ever since disqualified JD(S) MLA A H Vishwanath, who served as JD(S) state president and turned rebel later, last week dropped the political bomb, accusing the H D Kumaraswamy government of tapping phones and spying on more than 300 people, including him.

Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah, M Mallikarjuna Kharge and home minister in the alliance government M B Patil, had sought a probe while another key party leader and former minister D K Shivakumar has rejected the snooping charges and appeared to side with Kumaraswamy.

According to reports, phones of those close to Siddaramaiah, who was the then coalition coordination committee chief, too had come under the watch.

Several BJP leaders, including former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, have directly accused Kumaraswamy of being behind the episode to save his government which was then rocked by dissidence within.

The coalition government ultimately collapsed last month with Kumaraswamy losing the trust vote in the assembly.

Reacting to the Chief Minister announcing a CBI probe, Kumaraswamy, who has already denied the charges, said "Let them do any inquiry, whether it is a CBI inquiry or any other agency of international standard, or let them talk to Trump (US President Donald Trump) and get it inquired through some one from his side."
Stating that he was not aware as to why his name was linked to the phone tapping case, he stressed, "If I was involved I would have panicked, I'm open.... There is not even an iota... to point fingers at me."
I heard they acted on my advice in phone tapping case & I hope they act on this issue as well."
Phone tapping was a (bundle of) lies and a conspiracy for hate politics."
Pointing out that several Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah, had demanded a probe, he said, "Before handing over the probe they demanded an inquiry... now they are blaming the chief minister, it is not right."