Karnataka CM yet to decide on tainted minister's inclusion

Karnataka Chief Minister Dharam Singh said it was up to the Congress Party High Command to decide on whether former minister Roshan Baig, whose name was linked with the Telgi scam, should be inducted into the Cabinet.

"That is a different issue...that is left to the party high command," Singh told reporters in Bangalore when asked about inducting Baig in the proposed second round of ministry expansion expected in the second week of July, ahead of the Budget session of the state legislature beginning on July 19.

Singh said this on the sidelines of the inaugural of the Bangalore Bio 2004.

Baig was perceived to be close to former Chief Minister SM Krishna but had to step down as a minister from the Krishna government after allegations of his links with the stamp paper scam mastermind, Abdul Karim Telgi.

Baig's brother, Rehan Baig, is in jail due to his alleged involvement with Telgi, but Roshan Baig has categorically denied his links with the multi-crore scam.

The last government has only reluctantly let Baig go, because of the likely repercussions of his removal from the government, on the Muslims.