"Is It Possible To Answer Foxes?" HD Kumaraswamy On Ex-Party Leader's Extortion Complaint

Reacting to extortion charges by former Janata Dal (Secular) leader Vijay Tata, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy said on Thursday that “it is not possible to answer to street dogs and foxes.”

Speaking to reporters, Mr Kumaraswamy stated, “I am not answering the police complaint filed against me. Why should I discuss him? He has no connection with me. Let me discuss who has got the complaint registered with him.”

Mr Kumaraswamy added, “Should I respond and answer to charges made by street dogs and foxes? Let them file an FIR, I will see the matter later.”

A police complaint has been lodged against the Union minister for alleged extortion and life threat.

The complaint was lodged by former Mr Tata, who is a former social media vice president of the Janata Dal (Secular) or JDS, at the Amruthahalli police station in Bengaluru.

The complaint has also been filed against JDS Member of Legislative Council Ramesh Gowda.

Mr Tata has alleged in his complaint that Mr Gowda recently came to his residence and made him speak to Mr Kumaraswamy on his (Mr Gowda's) phone.

The former JDS leader claimed in the complaint that Mr Kumaraswamy asked him to arrange Rs 50 crore for election expenses required to win the Channapatna bypoll.

Mr Tata claimed that when he said that he didn't have that much money, Mr Kumaraswamy became angry and threatened that if he didn't arrange Rs 50 crore, he would have to face the consequences and it would be difficult for him to live in Bengaluru and carry out his real estate business.

"Afterwards, Ramesh Gowda insisted that Vijay Tata arrange Rs 50 crore and further demanded Rs 5 crore for himself, claiming that he was building a temple and a school. Ramesh Gowda also warned that if the money was not arranged, Vijay Tata would face the consequences," the complainant alleged.

Mr Tata has requested security for himself and his family.

Police sources said they will file a First Information Report (FIR) against Mr Kumaraswamy soon.

Earlier, while lashing out at the Lokayukta SIT Chief Additional Director General of Police M Chandrashekhar, Mr Kumaraswamy had alleged that the senior IPS officer was engaged in extortion in collusion with Mr Tata.

Mr Kumaraswamy had alleged, “In Delhi, there is a company called PACL which had lakhs of acres across the country and assets worth Rs 2 lakh crore were seized. Then, a person by the name of Vijay Tata associated with a private channel was being backed by Mr Chandrashekhar.”

"Vijay Tata has been named in over 2,500 FIRs but there has been no action against him. In 2006, there was a complaint lodged against PACL by Shivakumar at the behest of Vijay Tata. The complaint was received by Mr Chandrashekhar who was working with the CCB," Mr Kumaraswamy claimed on Sunday.

"Vijay Tata then approached PACL seeking Rs 100 crore and said that he would settle the matter with the cops. PACL paid Rs 80 crore in cash and Rs 21 crore by cheque. The money was transferred to a few real estate developers. Mr Chandrashekhar, using Vijay Tata, has swindled crores of rupees from several real estate businesses which shows that he is corrupt and would do anything for power," Mr Kumaraswamy alleged.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)