Anand Singh to Karnataka CM: Charges are not serious

BENGALURU/BIDAR: Under fire from various quarters over his appointment as forest minister, Anand Singh on Friday met chief minister BS Yediyurappa reportedly to tell him he’s not facing any serious criminal charges.
There’s been speculation in the BJP about Yediyurappa thinking of changing Singh’s portfolio as the opposition could use the issue to put the ruling party on the mat in the upcoming legislature session.
Sources said Anand Singh presented documents about his pending cases to suggest they weren’t serious in nature and requested the chief minister to give him the energy portfolio if a change was effected.
CM asked me not to bother: Anand Singh
However, Singh denied the meeting was about portfolio change. “When I told him I’d done nothing wrong, Yediyurappa asked me not to bother about it,” Singh told TOI.
Singh told reporters opposition leaders and mediapersons should go through the chargesheets against him. “If there are any direct charges, they can question me,” he said, adding: “If Yediyurappa feels that by my continuing as forest minister, Karnataka’s forests will get looted and destroyed and wants to change my portfolio, he’s free to do it,”
He said: “What opposition is saying and what I’ve submitted to the Election Commission is true — there are cases pending against me. I will never be in politics by keeping people in the dark, but reporters and opposition leaders should examine the charges.”
The Congress continued to lash out at the CM for appointing Singh, a businessman with mining interests, as forest minister.
Leader of opposition Siddaramaiah said if one is made a minister of a department under which he’s facing cases, it’ll look like the government is supporting corruption.