Wine merchants accuse Karnataka mantri of corruption, BJP demands his resignation | India News – Times of India

BENGALURU: The Congress government in Karnataka is once again facing a major embarrassment as state excise minister RB Timmapur is accused of corruption and bribery in his department. The Association of Karnataka Wine Merchants has accused his office of demanding Rs 16 crore in bribes from officials within the excise department.
The allegations have increased calls for accountability, with the BJP calling for Timmapur’s resignation amid growing concerns over corruption within the state’s excise administration.
In a letter to Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, the Chief Secretary and the Karnataka Lokayukta, the Association outlined extensive bribery and money laundering schemes allegedly orchestrated by the Minister’s Office, particularly in relation to the transfer of excise officials in Bengaluru.
However, TOI could not independently verify the authenticity of these allegations. According to the letter, Rs 16 crore was reportedly collected in just one day from various levels of the excise department, including deputy commissioners, superintendents and inspectors, as their tenure came to an end.
Timmapur has denied the allegations, saying: “You have to ask them why they went to pay money. Why would anyone pay if everything is fine?”
The Association’s letter paints a grim picture of systemic corruption, alleging that “huge bribes and money laundering” are common in the excise minister’s office. It suggests that these illegal activities are aimed at facilitating the illegal collection of funds for election purposes. In particular, the document alleges that significant amounts of money have been withdrawn over the past two to three and a half years, coinciding with the end of the terms of several officers.
Wine merchants must correct themselves: Minister of Excise
It further indicates that a deputy commissioner allegedly took between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 40 lakh from each officer for easy transfers, leading to a total of Rs 2.5 crore to Rs 3 crore allegedly collected from deputy commissioners which operate only in Bengaluru.
Amid these allegations, Minister Timmapur, who was campaigning in Shiggaon, vowed to take action against officials involved in corrupt practices. “When these people (wine merchants) do something wrong, they (officers) harass them. The wine merchants must correct themselves,” he said, trying to refute the allegations and suggesting they may be motivated by personal grievances.
Timmapur further said: “These allegations are baseless and politically motivated. While I have approved some promotions through the appropriate channels, I have not permitted any transfers for monetary gain. The transfers were not made, but routine promotions were processed appropriately. carried out without undue pressure or monetary demands… Instead of making such baseless accusations, the association should identify who actually received the payments.”
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and senior BJP MLA, R Ashoka, alleged that a wider “liquor fraud worth Rs 700 crore” was taking place within the state. He alleged that Thimmapur is involved in “blatant extortion and bribery”, linking this controversy to other scandals including those involving the alleged land scam of Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation and Muda.