'BJP trying to destabilise K'taka govt,' says Kumaraswamy after Baig's detention

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday has accused the BJP of trying to destabilise the Congress-JD(S) government in the state. The statement came after former Karnataka minister and Congress MLA R Roshan Baig was detained by a Speacial Investigation Team in connection with IMA case.

The SIT said, “Baig has been detained for questioning from Kempegowda International Airport when he was about to take off in a private chartered aircraft to unconfirmed destination. It will be verified whether his sudden plan to leave Bengaluru is anything to do with recent release of video in YouTube by IMA prime accused Mansoor Khan.”

Read | IMA case: Roshan Baig detained at Bengaluru airport; BJP blames K'taka CM

Reacting to the detention and midnight drama, Kumaraswamy took to Twitter to claim a BJP legislator was present with Baig on a chartered plane. He alleged that the presence of the legislator proved the party’s involvement in destabilising the Congress-JD(S) government.

Kumaraswamy tweeted: “Today SIT probing the IMA case detained Roshan Baig for questioning at the BIAL airport while he was trying to leave along with BS Yeddyurappa's PA Santhosh on a chartered flight to Mumbai. I was told that on seeing the SIT, Santhosh ran away while the team apprehended Baig.”

Baig had flayed party leaders Siddaramaiah and state president Dinesh Gundu Rao for the party's poor show in the Lok Sabha election. The party later suspended him for his "anti-party" activities.

At the height of the resignation drama in Karnataka, he joined the bandwagon of 16 MLAs who tendered their resignation from the Assembly.

Clarifying its stand, the BJP denied the allegations and said the Karnataka Chief Minister was using the state machinery to save his government.

Taking to Twitter, BJP Karnataka tweeted: “CM HD Kumaraswamy is using the state machinery to save his government now. Roshan Baig was given time till 19th July to appear before SIT. This shows how the state government is blackmailing and treating their own MLAs using the institutions.”