Karandlaje writes to Rajnath for fair probe into arrest of journalist Hemant

Bengaluru: BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje Monday appealed to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to ensure the CID conducts a fair probe into the arrest of journalist S A Hemant Kumar for allegedly circulating a fake letter.

Kumar was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Friday for allegedly sharing a fake letter, purportedly written by State Home Minister M B Patil to Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi in 2017 for religion tag to the Lingayat sect, with the website Postcard News.

“There is no connection between Hemant Kumar and this fake letter. The JD(S)-Congress government is filing false cases against BJP workers and party sympathisers on fear of losing elections,” Karandlaje told reporters.

The BJP state general secretary and MP from Udupi-Chikmagalur said she does not have “faith” in the investigation being conducted by Hemant Nimbalkar, Inspector General of Police, CID, economic offence wing and cybercrime.

“I have informed Rajnath-ji that the way Nimbalkar is probing, we have doubts. He is siding with one party. His wife is a member of Vidhana Sabha and the Congress party. We don’t have faith in the probe,” she said.

In his representation to the union home minister, Karandlaje said, “The police instead of finding the real culprit of the alleged fake letter written by M B Patil or to find out the authenticity of the letter, they are going after innocent journalist Hemant Kumar who has no role in any conspiracy. He is being falsely framed in the case by police to please the minister (Patil).”

Stating the CID should be unbiased, the BJP leader sought the central government’s intervention in the matter to ensure the DGP of Karnataka stops “vindictive reprisal” against BJP workers and act as per the law.