HDK got Rs1.3-cr watch from UAE bizman, says Congress

Bengaluru: JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy who has been targeting chief minister Siddaramaiah for having expensive wristwatches and sunglasses, was paid back in the same coin on Saturday with the Congress releasing a list of watches and fancy cars he has allegedly received as gift.
According to the list released at a press conference by Congress legislators VS Ugrappa, HM Revanna, Ashok Pattana and ST Somashekar here, the former CM has a wristwatch worth Rs 1.3 crore - Kumaraswamy has alleged that Siddaramaiah has a Hublot watch worth about Rs 70 lakh.
"The Rs 1.3 crore-worth watch and a vehicle worth Rs 6 crore were given as gift to Kumaraswamy by a UAE-based businessman in 2007 when he was the CM. We want to know why Kumaraswamy failed to declare these in his affidavit filed before the election commission and Lokayukta. He should also tell people which watch he was wearing when he was posing for a photograph with actor Radhika Kumarswamy," said Ugrappa, backing his claims with copies of the affidavits.
Ugrappa claimed that Kumaraswamy and his family members own at least 50 expensive watches, each worth anywhere between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1 crore. He further alleged that Kumaraswamy has four expensive cars including Lamborghini, Nissan Infiniti, Hummer and a Range Rover. "Of these cars, only one has been registered," alleged Ugrappa.
Revanna alleged that Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil owns fancy cars and most of them were gifts from a company. "Kumaraswamy should make public from which company his son got such expensive cars," he added.
Responding to the allegations, Kumaraswamy said he is ready for any kind of investigation either by the state government or any independent agency. "Whatever I have bought is with my own money, and I have nothing to hide. Let them get it investigated if they want," he added.
Regarding allegations against his son, the JD(S) leader reiterated that Nikhil had bought them in his own capacity. "I don't think my son needs to respond to anybody. If he has to answer, he should do it to the Income Tax department and not to the CM. He is a private person and not a public official like chief minister Siddaramaiah, who has to reveal what he has received as gift," Kumaraswamy said.
The war of words is only get more intense as Kumaraswamy has threatened to release documents pertaining to Siddaramaiah's wrist watch in a few days.
List of HDK's gifts released by Congress
Wristwatches
* Unknown brand wrist watch: Rs 1.30 crore
* Diamond-studded Franck : Rs 50 lakh
* Franck Muller: Rs 25 lakh
* Rado: Rs 5 Lakh
* Rado: Rs 2 lakh
* Audemar Piguet : Rs 12 lakh (owned by Nikhil Kumaraswamy)
Cars:
Lamborghini: Rs 8 crore
Porsche: Rs 2.5 crore
Hummer: Rs 45 lakh
Range Rover : Rs 3 crore