Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 23 : BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka on Friday demanded the resignation of the Karnataka Excise Minister Ramappa Timmapur after senior officers from his department were caught allegedly accepting a bribe for issuing a bar license.
R Ashoka alleged that Minister Ramappa Timmapur was involved in the scandal.
"He collected the money from the wine shops, bars, and liquor. They collected between Rs 2000 and Rs 3000 crores for the Assam, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu elections. It's a big scandal. We demanded the resignation of the excise minister," he said.
"We will fight for the resignation if not the CM has to resign," he added.
BJP MLA Bharath Shetty Y alleged that a member of the Ramappa Timmapur is also involved in the bribery case.
"The minister and one of his family members is also involved in this. There's an audio recording in which crores of rupees are demanded from bar and wine shop owners for various works in the exercise department," Bharath Shetty Y said.
He also demanded the minister's resignation to ensure action against the accused officers.
"We demanded the resignation of the exercise minister immediately, so that some action could be taken, because this corruption has become normal in the cabinet of the Karnataka government," he said.
This comes after Karnataka Lokayukta arrested the Excise Deputy Commissioner and two other officials for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 25 lakh for issuing a bar license.