Bengaluru: City Police Commissioner B Dayananda assured that a transparent and unbiased investigation will be carried out regarding the extortion accusations involving Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, HD Kumaraswamy, and JD(S) MLC Ramesh Gowda.

Addressing the media, Dayananda confirmed, "A complaint has been officially registered, and the subsequent investigation will be impartial."

The complaint stems from allegations made by former JD(S) leader and businessman Vijay Tata, who accused Kumaraswamy and Gowda of attempting to extort ₹50 crore. According to Tata, Gowda visited his home on August 24, demanding the sum on behalf of Kumaraswamy, supposedly to finance the campaign for the Channapatna assembly by-election. Tata further claimed that Kumaraswamy personally called him during the meeting, pressuring him to arrange the funds for his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s election campaign in the constituency.

Tata's complaint states that when he informed Kumaraswamy he could not provide the requested amount, the former Karnataka Chief Minister became aggressive and allegedly threatened him. Tata said Kumaraswamy warned him that failure to pay would result in dire consequences, making it difficult for Tata to continue his real estate ventures or even remain in Bengaluru.

The complaint also accuses Ramesh Gowda of persistently contacting Tata through calls and messages, demanding the money. Tata provided details of several WhatsApp messages received on August 30, September 6, and September 11, in which Gowda reiterated the demand for funds. Tata expressed frustration, noting that he had already made significant financial contributions to Kumaraswamy’s political efforts in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

In addition to the ₹50 crore for Kumaraswamy, Tata claimed Gowda sought another ₹5 crore for personal projects, citing the construction of a temple and a school. Feeling threatened, Tata requested police protection for himself and his family.

The Amruthahalli police station confirmed the filing of a case based on Tata’s complaint, registering it under various sections of the law, including extortion and criminal intimidation. The police indicated that an investigation into the matter is now underway.

In a counterclaim, MLC Ramesh Gowda refuted the allegations, filing his own complaint on Friday. Gowda dismissed Tata’s accusations as baseless, accusing Tata of seeking ₹100 crore from him. He also denied ever requesting funds for personal projects, stating that any meetings with Tata were purely social in nature.

Gowda further alleged that Tata had verbally abused him during a dinner, and only Tata’s wife’s intervention prevented the situation from escalating further. He also claimed that Tata had threatened to tarnish his reputation by making the allegations public.

When approached for a response, Kumaraswamy dismissed the accusations outright, remarking, “Should I waste my time responding to baseless claims? Let them file their FIR – we will address the matter when appropriate.”