Congress Shares Photos Of Karnataka Minister With Drugs Case Accused

Sharing pictures of Revenue Minister R Ashoka with an accused in a drugs case, the Congress in Karnataka said there is a need for leaders from the ruling BJP, who are making allegations against those from other parties, to face the inquiry first.

In a tweet, the state Congress said: "The pictures of R Ashoka with drugs scandal kingpin Rahul Thonshe suggests that it was not a casual meeting, but a close association. There is a need for leaders from the ruling BJP, who are making allegations against those from other parties to cover up their scandals, to be made to face inquiry first."

In the pictures shared along with the tweet, R Ashoka can be seen posing for a picture with Rahul Thonshe along with others at some function.

There are also pictures showing the two sharing sweets with each other.

The Minister had on Monday denied any links with Rahul Thonshe. "I had gone to a naming ceremony function relating to a party worker in my constituency, when a celebrity goes to such events normally several people take such pictures.... it is common such pictures are taken during public functions, so can we be linked? If I had gone to his house it is a different thing," he said.

Mr Ashoka said the photo might have been taken some four years ago and since the coronavirus outbreak, he had not attended any such events recently.

Earlier, Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan's name has been linked to the drugs case, following his photos with one Shaik Fazil, who is linked to a casino in Colombo where allegedly such activities take place, emerged.

Mr Khan, who has denied his involvement, has said he knew Shaik Faizal like several other people, but was unaware of his activities.

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