Pramesh S Jain & Dr.Thomas (Special Correspondent)
A
day after the arrest of Hindutva activist Chaitra in a BJP MLA ticket cheating case, the prime accused said that there are many big names involved in the case and the arrest of Swamiji will bring out the truth.
“Indira Canteen (canteens run by government and provide subsidised food) bills are pending and that is why this conspiracy is being hatched”.
Replying to the media question while being escorted to the CCB interrogation center from the state home for women where he was housed for overnight stay,the accused said that her arrest is part of the conspiracy related to Indira canteen Pending bill issue,and the arrest of Swamiji will get many big names .
According to the complainant,Abhinava Halasri Swamiji of Hirehadagali Mutt in Hoovinahadagali in Vijayanagar district is another accused in the case who had taken Rs.1.5 crore from the businessman,is presently on the run.Efforts are on to track him down .
Chaitra’s statements have stirred a huge controversy in the state and raised questions on the involvement of top BJP and RSS leaders in the scam.
The party had given tickets to 72 new faces in the the Assembly elections in May,but will faced a humiliating defeat.
Karnataka Police had arrested Chaitra on Tuesday night in Udupi for allegedly cheating Govinda Babu Poojari, an industrialist of Rs.5 crore promising him a BJP ticket to contest the Assembly polls.
The police have also arrested six persons alleging to be her associates.
Abhinava Halasri Swamiji of Hirehadagali Mutt in Hoovinahadagali in Vijayanagar district is another accused in the case.
The Swamiji has been absconding since the arrest of Chaitra and the police have launched a hunt for him.
Chaitra remarks on Thursday were in reference to the absconding accused, who had allegedly taken Rs 1.5 crore from the complainant.
According to the police,Chaitra had promised a BJP ticket to Govinda Babu Poojari from Baindur constituency in Dakshina Kannada district claiming that she knew leaders from the RSS who could get it for him.
The complainant had mentioned that he was taken to mutt where the Swamiji demanded money and he had given the money to his Jayanagar branch in Bengaluru.
The Swamiji had claimed that he has close links with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he had also assured that if he doesn’t get a ticket,the money would be returned.
However,when Babu failed to get a ticket,he asked Chaitra to return his money.
In his complaint,Babu had claimed that the accused had refused to return his money and cheated him.
She had allegedly threatened to expose his source of income to central investigating agencies.
Chaitra is popular among right-wing activists and Hindutva followers.
FIRs have been lodged against her in connection with delivering hate speeches.
Babu has identified himself as a social worker and leader of the Billava community, which is influential in the coastal Karnataka region.
Chaitra and her associates planned and changed the getup of Ramesh and Dhanraj at a haircut saloon in Kadur town to make them look like RSS and BJP leaders .
The duo was paid Rs 1.2 lakh and 93,000 for the job to act like leaders to receive the money from Govinda Babu Pujari promising BJP party ticket for the assembly election.
The CCB officials continue to grill the other accused to know their exact role in the racket.
