HD Kumaraswamy is an accused who is trying to demotivate my team, says SIT chief

In a befitting response to Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy's corruption allegations against him, M Chandra Sekhar, who heads a special investigation team in the Lokayukta, has described the state's JD(S) president as an accused who is on bail and targeting him to demotivate him his officers.

“This accused (Kumaraswamy), who is on bail, did this to create fear among the SIT officials by attacking me. But an accused, however high and powerful, is an accused,” Chandra Sekhar said in a letter addressed to his team members, promising them that he would work without fear and bring criminals to justice.

The letter, seen by Deccan Heraldis being shared widely on social media and is slowly becoming a controversy.

Chandra Sekhar, an IPS officer with the rank of additional director general of police (ADGP), heads the SIT under Lokayukta, set up to investigate a case in which Kumaraswamy is an accused.

While the letter itself came as a shock to many officials, they denied receiving any news when DH I contacted her and Chandra Sekhar's use of a famous quote made everyone's jaw drop.

The ADGP quoted playwright George Bernard Shaw: “Never wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty and the pig likes it.”

In the backdrop of this quote, the ADGP addressed her men and said, “We cannot avoid confronting criminals and accused in the discharge of our duties.”

“Sometimes the criminals and defendants we face throw mud at us. This must not stop us from fulfilling our duty. Never lose hope because the truth always wins. Let us believe in the truth, in God and in our law,” he told his team in his letter.

Kumaraswamy claimed in a recent press conference that a young police officer had lodged a complaint against Chandra Sekhar for demanding Rs 20 crore and another person who was harassed by the police officer had lodged a detailed complaint with the then Home Minister Rajneesh Goel.

Confirm DH that he had actually written the letter and quoted Shaw, Chandra Sekhar said that time demanded it.

“My men were scared after allegations were made against me that were completely unfounded. As SIT leader, I had to instill confidence in my men,” he said DH.

Chandra Sekhar shared DH that some officers on his team expressed fear and fear of future consequences. That's why he wrote an open letter to her.

In the letter, Chandra Sekhar said that Kumaraswamy made false and malicious allegations and threats after the SIT sought sanction from the relevant authority for his prosecution.

He urged his team not to be demotivated by such allegations and threats and promised to act without fear or favor and bring all criminals in the case to justice. He assured his team that he would protect them all from all outside influences.

The ADGP then asked the officials to distribute the letter among the SIT personnel. “It is our duty to instill fear of law and justice in the minds of the accused and criminals,” he said.