'My signature was forged', Asserts Kumaraswamy Amid Lokayukta's Push for Prosecution in Mining Case

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, responded to the Karnataka Lokayukta's move to seek prosecution permission against him by alleging that his signature was forged on documents authorizing mining activities. Kumaraswamy, addressing the media on Wednesday, asserted that the Congress government in Karnataka is targeting him due to his position as a Union Minister and reviving an old case where his signature allegedly does not appear.

Kumaraswamy emphasized, "I have not allocated even a small area to Sai Venkateshwara Minerals Company. They have not conducted any mining activities, the Central government did not approve their operations, and the state has not suffered any financial loss. Given these circumstances, how can there be a request for prosecution approval from the Governor?"

He further stated, "I am not one to be intimidated by the alleged conspiracy orchestrated by the state government. I will confront this issue legally. I intend to pursue legal action concerning the Sai Venkateshwara Minerals case. In such situations, adhering to the law is imperative."

Kumaraswamy criticized Congress leaders for their sudden interest in the case, questioning the lengthy investigation process. "The Lokayukta Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been examining this matter for too long. I approached the court in 2014, and now they are scrutinizing not only my signature but also my handwriting. Let them continue their investigation," he said.

He pointed out that Congress leaders had previously failed to substantiate claims of 21 scams involving BJP leaders and are now struggling to resurrect what he described as a "dead case" against him. "If they wish, they can even pursue a live case," Kumaraswamy added.

Addressing the issue of the Sai Venkateshwara documents, Kumaraswamy clarified that the signatures on the documents in question were not his. He remarked, "The events in question occurred on October 6, 2007. The signature in question is not mine, and I am unaware of who signed it. I did not allocate land to this company, and I discovered only later that Rs 20 lakh had been transferred to an official's son's account."

He criticized the involvement of the Governor and the Central government in the matter, questioning, "Why involve the Governor and the Central government? Someone claims to have a document showing my signature on the Sai Venkateshwara file. Did the SIT investigate which document I actually signed? Does the government know about all the illegal activities that have occurred?"

Kumaraswamy further highlighted that he himself uncovered the transfer of Rs 20 lakh to an official's son's account. "I could have closed the Sai Venkateshwara case back in 2011-12 when I was in government with Congress. It would have been easy to shut it down," he asserted.

He contrasted this with CM Siddaramaiah's alleged involvement in more significant illegal mining activities, stating, "While CM Siddaramaiah’s team is investigating me, his own record is far more extensive. In 2015, Siddaramaiah granted mining permissions to criminals caught stealing seized iron ore. He claims there is only one case against him, but there are numerous scams involving the Chief Minister."

Kumaraswamy also mentioned his plans to release documents at a more opportune time, citing concerns about potential tampering. "Though the High Court quashed the Jantakal and mining bribe cases, it allowed an investigation into the Sai Venkateshwara issue. I contested this and approached the Supreme Court, which ordered the report be submitted within three months in 2017. Yet, the final report has not been delivered. How many years have passed? Isn’t this a breach of the court’s order?" Kumaraswamy questioned.