SIT to probe 40% commission allegation against BJP: Karnataka minister HK Patil

NEW DELHI: Karnataka minister HK Patil on Friday announced that the Congress-led state government has decided to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the 40 per cent commission allegation against the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) administration.

"The SIT will complete the investigation in two months and submit the report to the government. The report will then be taken up in a cabinet meeting. The SIT will include experts from the field," Patil, Karnataka's law and parliamentary affairs minister, told reporters, according to news agency PTI.

Patil further stated that the report of the one-member inquiry commission of former Karnataka high court judge Nagamohan Das "endorses the allegations of irregularities."

Also Read: Final report on 40% commission scam may have clinching evidence, says Karnataka home minister Parameshwara

He said, "Out of three lakh works, the Nagamohan Das report took a sample of only 1,729 works and conducted inquiry. The SIT will look into the whole gamut and not just 1,729 samples taken by justice Das."

Further, the minister claimed the money released was more than the sanctioned amount, no objection certificate was issued out of turn, and there were meddling with the tender process.

Also Read: Justice Das’ report cites lack of evidence in 40% commission case, govt in a fix

The Karnataka government constituted the Nagamohan Das commission in November 2024.

The '40 per cent commission' case

The Karnataka State Contractors Association raised corruption allegations in 2021 when BJP's Basavaraj Bommai was the chief minister. In 2022, it wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing several BJP ministers and MLAs of demanding 40 per cent kickbacks to secure tenders and payment for work done.

Also Read: Clean chit from Lokayukta for BJP in 40% commission case, claims party

The Congress successfully used the issue as a campaign weapon to secure victory in the 2023 assembly elections. Siddaramaiah, who succeeded Bommai as chief minister, then set up Nagamohan Das probe commission.