An FIR has been registered in Davanagere against a Karnataka minister’s aide over alleged illegal hoarding and sale of rice meant for beneficiaries of the Anna Bhagya scheme, triggering a political row and calls for strict action.
In a major development that has triggered political ripples across the district, an FIR has been registered against Mohammed Jameer, a close aide of Karnataka Minister SS Mallikarjun, over allegations of illegally hoarding and trading rice meant for beneficiaries under the state government’s ambitious Anna Bhagya scheme. The case has been registered at the Gandhinagar Police Station in Davanagere, following a joint raid by officials that reportedly uncovered large-scale irregularities.
Illegal Hoarding Uncovered In Shankar Vihar Layout
Acting on a specific tip-off, officials from the Food and Civil Supplies Department, along with the police, conducted a joint raid at a building in Shankar Vihar Layout, Davanagere. During the operation, they discovered a substantial quantity of Anna Bhagya rice that had allegedly been illegally stored for unauthorised sale. The seized stock underscored the seriousness of the alleged violation involving food grains meant for economically weaker sections.
FIR Filed Against Two Accused, Probe Underway
An FIR has been registered against two individuals in connection with the case, including Mohammed Jameer. Police officials stated that the investigation has been intensified to trace the source of the hoarded rice and to identify the wider network involved in the illegal storage and trade of government-supplied food grains.
BJP Leaders Launch Sharp Attack After FIR
Soon after the FIR was registered, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders convened a press conference in Davanagere and launched a sharp attack on the ruling government and Minister SS Mallikarjun. The press conference was led by former BJP district president Yashwantrao Jadhav.
During the interaction with the media, BJP leaders released photographs showing Minister SS Mallikarjun, Davanagere MP Prabha Mallikarjun, and the accused Mohammed Jameer together, alleging a close association between them.
“Minister Is the Mastermind Of Davanagere Scams,” BJP Alleges
Addressing the media, Yashwantrao Jadhav made serious allegations, claiming that Minister S.S. Mallikarjun was the “mastermind behind the illegal activities taking place in Davanagere.” He pointed out that another aide of the minister, Shivraj, had earlier been arrested in a drug trafficking case.
“The involvement of yet another close aide in the Anna Bhagya rice scam shows a clear pattern,” Jadhav alleged, asserting that individuals close to the minister were repeatedly linked to illegal activities.
Claims Of Close Association With Minister’s Family
BJP leaders further claimed that Mohammed Jameer was a close associate of Minister Mallikarjun. They highlighted a photograph in which MP Prabha Mallikarjun is seen tying a rakhi to Jameer, questioning the ruling party’s moral responsibility in the matter.
Demand For Strict And Impartial Action
Yashwantrao Jadhav urged the government to take strict legal action against all those involved in the illegal Anna Bhagya rice trade, without yielding to political pressure. BJP leaders demanded that the full truth behind the alleged scam be brought to light and that those accused of diverting food meant for the poor be punished severely under the law.