Bengaluru, March 4 (NationPress) D.N. Jeevaraj, a prominent BJP leader and former minister, has raised allegations of criminal misconduct regarding stamp papers utilized in the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and is urging the state government to initiate a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into these claims.

Speaking at a press conference at the BJP's state headquarters, Jagannath Bhavan, in Bengaluru, Jeevaraj contended that evidence shows the Jal Jeevan Mission in the Sringeri constituency has devolved into a “Jal Jeevan Commission.”

He asserted that, despite the Central government releasing over Rs 150 crore for this initiative, no households have benefited from water supply.

Drawing parallels with the infamous stamp paper scandal involving Abdul Karim Telgi, he noted that earlier stamp papers bore similarities to currency notes, facilitating forgery. He highlighted that the government subsequently implemented measures like unique serial numbers and QR codes and launched an e-stamping application intended to verify the authenticity of the papers. However, he alleged that a scam of a magnitude greater than the Telgi scandal has occurred under JJM.

Jeevaraj showcased examples of stamp papers linked to agreements between the government, specifically the Zilla Panchayat, and contractors involved in JJM.

He pointed out that one stamp paper, numbered “INKA 76845429815984 W,” appeared to have been issued simultaneously on the same day in 2024 for nine agreements in N.R. Pura and Koppa taluks. He also claimed another stamp paper was linked to 11 agreements concerning borewell drilling.

According to him, the relevant department operates under the jurisdiction of Minister for RDPR Priyank Kharge.

Out of 30 examined agreements, he claimed numerous irregularities were identified, asserting that several stamp papers were counterfeit. “This represents not only a loss to the government's revenue but constitutes 100 percent criminal activity,” he stated.

He went on to allege that discussions are circulating regarding the involvement of individuals affiliated with the local MLA in Sringeri, suggesting such activities may have occurred with the MLA’s implicit endorsement.

Additionally, he mentioned that upon scanning another stamp paper, the information indicated it might not be legitimate, though its authenticity remains uncertain. He expressed concerns about a potential local investigation leading to a cover-up.

To verify the drilling depth of borewells executed under the scheme, he stated he personally inserted a camera into them.

He reported examining 10 borewells at his own expense, alleging that one borewell in Kadegadde Thalamakki in Koppa taluk was reported at a depth of 587 feet, despite actually measuring 228 feet. In another case, a borewell was misrepresented as 587 feet when it was actually 260 feet deep.

He noted that payments had already been processed for these works.

Moreover, he claimed that in Balaguru Gram Panchayat, a bill of Rs 1.49 lakh was raised for a nonexistent borewell, and in Gaurihalli, Rs 1.38 lakh was billed for another non-existent borewell.

He also presented a newspaper article revealing that Congress district president Anshumanth had expressed concerns during a KDP meeting about alleged JJM irregularities and had urged the MLA to address the issue. Zilla Panchayat member H.M. Satish also reportedly claimed during a public meeting that a scam worth hundreds of crores had transpired under JJM.

Jeevaraj additionally highlighted irregularities in the construction of overhead tanks, alleging that trenches for pipe laying were not dug to the specified depth and that inferior quality pipes were utilized.

BJP state vice-president Harathalu Halappa and Mudigere leader Deepak Doddiah were present at the press briefing.