Kumaraswamy Challenges Government to Form SIT Over Luxury Watch Allegations

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has challenged the Karnataka state government to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations regarding his personal watch collection. The political row began after Chikkaballapur MLA Pradeep Eshwar recently accused the Union Minister of wearing luxury watches that were allegedly connected to corruption.

When journalists confronted Kumaraswamy to get his reaction to the corruption allegations, the Union Minister responded in a sharp and offbeat tone to deny the claims. He pointed to the watch he was wearing at the time and urged the reporters to inspect it closely to verify his statement.

"Someone told me I am wearing a watch worth Rs 80 lakh," Kumaraswamy told the gathered reporters. "Zoom in and check whether it looks like that. I am wearing an HMT watch."

The reporters then pressed Kumaraswamy further on additional claims that he keeps a large collection of luxury timepieces at his home. Specifically, journalists asked him about allegations that he owns between 70 and 80 watches at his private residence.

Kumaraswamy brushed those claims aside and challenged the state government to take official action if they believed the accusations. He dared the authorities to launch a formal investigation into his watch collection rather than making unsubstantiated claims.

"Let the government form an SIT and investigate it," Kumaraswamy said.

The confrontation has sparked fresh political sparring in the state, marking another chapter in the ongoing disputes between local political figures over personal assets and allegations of corruption.