Karnataka - Shimoga

Probe sought into Raghavendra’s affidavit

SHIMOGA: Lawyer and journalist S. Seshadri has filed a complaint before the Deputy Commissioner and the Returning Officer for Shimoga Parliamentary Constituency, Pankaj Kumar Pandey, seeking an inquiry into the affidavit filed by BJP MP B.Y. Raghavendra declaring his assets and liabilities during the Lok Sabha election.

Mr. Seshadri has alleged that Mr. Raghavendra had not mentioned in the affidavit two property he “owns”: 2.2 acres of land on survey no. 44 in Bandibyaranahalli village in Hosur hobli of Shikaripur taluk and 23 guntas of land in Urugaduru village on the outskirts of Shimoga.

He has alleged that Mr. Raghavendra had not mentioned in the affidavit current market value of various immoveable property he owns. He alleged that the BJP leader deliberately “under valued” and “concealed” property he owned, and this amounted to “suppression” of material facts.

Mr. Seshadri said that he had issued a legal notice to Mr. Raghavendra on May 23 seeking comments from him in this regard but the latter had declined to deny the fact.

“Thus the respondent has committed offences punishable under section 125 A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, sections 177 and 181 of the Indian Penal Code and also under the Prevention of Corruption Act while submitting the false affidavit before the election authority,” Mr. Seshadri has said in the complaint.

When contacted, Mr. Pandey told The Hindu on Friday that he had received the complaint and he would look into it.

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