Rahul slams Modi on Congress allegations that Sriramulu bribed ex-CJI

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over allegation that BJP leader B Sriramulu had bribed former Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan seeking an order favouring a mining company owned by G Janardhan Reddy.

The Congress party, which levelled the charge, also demanded a high level inquiry into the alleged bribery case.

"This is how Modi and Yeddy (BS Yeddyurappa) are getting 'Reddy' to loot Karnataka. Fortunately, the people of Karnataka will not let that happen," tweeted Gandhi as he attached a National Herald news report with a headline "Sting videos: Congress alleges BJP's B Sriramulu involved in bribing then CJI in 2010".

The news report said: "Alleging that then Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishna gave a favourable order to a mining company owned by G Janardhan Reddy a day before the CJI retired in 2010, Karnataka Congress claimed on Thursday that ₹100 crore was paid by Reddy for the order."

Sriramulu is contesting against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Badami constituency in the May 12 assembly election. Sriramulu is also contesting from Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district.

"Just one day before CJI Balakrishnan retired, he passed an order in a case related to Reddy brothers mining company," Karnataka Congress tweeted quoting state's working President Dinesh Gundu Rao.

"Now several videos have been released which show how bribe deals were done btw CJI's son-in-law and Sriramulu/Reddy brothers," Karnataka Congress tweeted Rao's statement at a press conference.

"The videos that have surfaced today show how Sriramulu and middlemen Captain Reddy, Balan, Swamiji Rajnish and CJI Balakrishnan's son-in-law Sreenijan discussed bribe deals in order to get a favourable judgement from SC in the Obalipuram case," he said.

"Despite supporting corrupt and jailed leaders in their own party, the Prime Minister comes to Karnataka and levels baseless allegations against us.

"This big expose has shown how corrupt Reddy-Sriramulu gang bribed the CJI. Will BJP and PM Modi answer?" Rao said.

Inputs by NH Web Desk