'It is a conspiracy against us', alleges Karunakara Reddy

Karnataka revenue minister G Karunakara Reddy, one of the three ministers to whom election commission served notices a petition seeking their disqualification as MLAs, today charged "it is a pre-planned conspiracy by some to trouble them".

"We have received the notices. We are consulting legal experts. We will comply with the election commission deadline and furnish our replies. It is a pre-planned conspiracy against us at some higher level," he charged while speaking to PTI here.

"We do not attract the clauses of Office of Profit, as being made out. There is a judgement by a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court that holding of mining lease by anyone will not attract the office of profit clause," he said.

Karunakara flayed governor HR Bhardwaj for issuing them notices and conducting an hearing on the complaint by Congress MLC, KC Kondaiah, despite he not enjoying such powers.

"Normally such complaints are sent to Assembly Speaker. Here is a case, the Governor holds hearing for more than three hours on June three and announce on the same day that he is referring it to Election Commission. Is it not pre-planned act," he asked.

The Governor had not issued notices calling for our presence "in person" as being reported in a section of the press, the minister said, adding "he has asked us to either appear in person or through our counsel".

The EC today served notices on Karunakara Reddy, his brother and Tourism minister G Janardhana Reddy and Health minister B Sreeramulu, a family and business associate of Reddy brothers, seeking explanation on the allegations that the trio amassed wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income and be disqualified under the provisions of the office of profit.