A political fallout has arisen in Mysuru after a complaint FIR has allegedly been filed against Karnataka Legislative Council member H. Vishwanath for alleged financial fraud and non-repayment of debt.
The complaint was lodged by Kotehundi Mahadev, the head of the Congress, accusing him, a senior politician like H. Vishwanath, of “taking huge sums of money” and “not returning it”. H. Vishwanath was an MP, says Mahadev, and this date ranges back to the time. Mahadev has purportedly arranged ₹35 lakh from the businessman and politician M.T.B. Nagaraj for Vishwanath.
He stated that he had personally received ₹12 lakh during the transaction and that Vishwanath’s son was also present. Mahadev told reporters in Mysuru that he mortgaged his own property to organise the money and that the money and the interest he collected had increased to a large extent. He went on to say that financial concerns have led to drastic arguments among family members, having caused his sisters to bring legal actions against the mortgaged property.
Mahadev alleged that Vishwanath had refused to return the money despite multiple requests. He said he was verbally abused and allegedly assaulted when he approached Vishwanath at Jaladarshini in seeking repayment and documentation of the money. The principal said, "An FIR had not been registered initially in Mysuru, and therefore had to go to court.
A specific case was filed pending complaint to Devaraja Police Station on the grounds of cheating and financial fraud, reportedly under court directions. Mahadev got choked up speaking to the press and said that he had spent considerable time working with Vishwanath previously.
Although later Vishwanath would join the BJP, he was still loyal to the Congress party, he said. He added that neither Siddaramaiah of Karnataka nor Yathindra Siddaramaiah had any relation to the allegation or the legal process. The matter was entirely personal and financial, Mahadev said. Challenging Vishwanath publicly, Mahadev requested the MLC to swear before Goddess Chamundeshwari, if he were innocent.
That Vishwanath ought to pay back the ₹35 lakh in the lump sum, and it should not take him till now to recoup the interest, which he claimed he is now earning as crores. H. Vishwanath Rejects Allegations. Responding forcefully to the FIR and allegations, he denied any accusations and branded the allegations politically motivated.
It asked him why he would loan money to Kotehundi Mahadev and insisted that no loan was ever taken by him. He characterised the allegations as entirely inaccurate and nonexistent. He then added that the charge belonged to a political plot designed to mute his voice, as he had been vociferously attacking the Karnataka government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
He was acting politically and was reported to have been targeted by Siddaramaiah supporters, Vishwanath said. But the senior politician insisted that no pressure or complaint could silence the voice he never felt was pushing back, neither his voice nor anyone's.
He also stated that he would fight the matter against the allegations and in court to establish himself, at least exonerated. The charges were based on political vendetta, he said in a statement, not a true financial argument: nothing he saw, he said.
Karnataka has already embarked on a new page of political argument, with both sides maintaining their respective positions on the case. The police would then be asked to investigate the allegations about the financial statements of both sides before attempting to sue further.
