No person will accept the allegations levelled against him or her: Siddaramaiah to Yeddyurappa

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday hit back at state BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa, asserting that no person will accept the allegations levelled against him or her.

Earlier during the day, the Congress alleged that some top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had received Rs 1,800 crore from Yeddyurappa, who rubbished the charges as "atrocious and malicious" and threatened to file a defamation case. He said that an inquiry had found the documents, cited by the Congress, as fake.

"Income Tax Department officials have already probed the issue and found that the documents and signature and handwritten notes are forged. The Congress leaders are apt in carrying out all these atrocious and malicious campaigns. They planted the story in the media to gain political mileage in the coming elections," Yeddyurappa said earlier in the day.

Responding to his remarks, Siddaramaiah said, "Any person against whom allegations are made, have you seen the person owning it?"

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that there was a diary which had mentioned about payments allegedly made to the BJP's Central Committee which includes Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, besides the Prime Minister.

The diary also purportedly contains Yeddyurappa's handwriting and signatures, Surjewala alleged.

Surjewala, basing his allegations and contentions on the media report, claimed that the diary is reportedly with the Income Tax department since August 2017 but no probe had been conducted so far.

"The diary is with the Income Tax department since August 2017. The officials of the department have even approached the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with it, seeking an inquiry by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and for the forensic examination but nothing happened," said Surjewala.

"If it is true, then why Prime Minister Modi and all top leaders of BJP have not ordered an inquiry and get it investigated," he said.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) was dismissive about the papers which the Congress claimed to be parts of a diary, saying the loose sheets alleging payment of Rs 1,800 crore by Yeddyurappa to top BJP leaders prima-facie appear to be of a doubtful nature.