The Special Investigation Team (SIT) conducting a probe into allegations of illegal mining agianst Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy has explained why it arrested the politician even though he had not violated the conditions of anticipatory bail. SIT chief Charan Reddy told The News Minute, that investigating officials arrested Kumaraswamy as they “were not convinced with his answers”, adding another twist to the arrest saga that began on August 8, when Bangalore Mirror reported that Kumaraswamy had been arrested by the SIT and released on bail. The JD (S) leader had denied that he was arrested, and that he had already obtained anticipatory bail. Quoting the SIT chief Charan Reddy, Bangalore Mirror reported on August 8 that Kumaraswamy had been arrested on August 5 for allegedly granting mining leases to Shree Sai Venkateshwara Minerals (SSVM) in 2007 in violation of the law. That very day, Kumaraswamy denied that he was arrested. Speaking to The News Minute on Monday, Kumaraswamy said: “I was given a notice by the Lokayukta SIT on July 27 asking me to appear before it by August 5. I’d heard rumours that I would be arrested and based on legal advice, I decided to obtain anticipatory bail.” A special Lokayukta SIT court granted him anticipatory bail on August 3 but directed him to appear before the SIT within five days (on or before August 8). Kumaraswamy told TNM that after he appeared before the SIT on August 3, an official merely told him to produce the anticipatory bail order since he had already brought it. “I was never told by the SIT that I was arrested,” Kumaraswamy told TNM, adding that he learned of his arrest only after a report appeared in Bangalore Mirror. “On what basis was I arrested?” he said, repeating that he had only visited the SIT to record statement as he had received a notice. He added that he had not violated any bail conditions.  Asked how Kumaraswamy could have been arrested when he had not violated bail conditions, SIT Chief Charan Reddy told TNM that Kumaraswamy was arrested on August 5 as they were not convinced with his answers when called for questioning. Kumaraswamy meanwhile stuck to his position that he was not arrested, and that rather, he was a victim of political games by the Siddaramaiah government. “Ahead of the BBMP elections, they are indulging in character assassination,” he alleged. He also alleged the SIT was acting against him based on the directions of the government. “The chief minister, home minister and other politicians are behind this. The SIT said that I was arrested because they wanted a letter of appreciation from the government.”