Amid allegations of corruption against Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy by department officials and a letter from Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s secretariat to the Chief Secretary to look into the matter, the Minister on Monday termed the letter as “fake” and sought an inquiry into it.
A communication from the Governor’s secretariat to the Chief Secretary said that assistant directors in Mandya, Malavalli, K.R. Pet, Pandavapura, Srirangapatna, and Maddur taluk had in a letter accused the Minister of seeking ₹6 lakh to ₹8 lakh through the Joint Director of Agriculture of Mandya.
Probe
However, dismissing the letter submitted by Agriculture Department officials as “fake,” Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said he had urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to order a probe by the Chief Secretary into the matter to identify the persons behind the “fake letter submitted to the Governor in the names of the Agriculture Department officials”.
The Minister said he had discussed the matter with the Joint Director of Agriculture in Mandya and the latter had informed him that no official from the department had written such a letter.
Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said he had asked the Superintendent of Police, Mandya, to hold a preliminary inquiry into the matter. “Prima facie it appears to be fake. But, we have to find out who has written the letter,” he said.
The Agriculture Minister, who is also Minister in charge of Mandya district, said it was a “conspiracy” to tarnish his reputation. Efforts to destroy his reputation were taking place repeatedly, Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said.
