Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was embroiled in a major controversy on Friday, October 28 after allegations emerged that an official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) approached reporters and editors of news organisations with bribes ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh in the guise of Deepavali hampers. Three journalists confirmed to TNM that hampers with cash were distributed, two confirmed that they had given it back to the CM’s office. Another journalist said they had not received the hamper themselves, but knew of others who had.

“Yes, they sent the money. But I didn’t see how much money they sent. I immediately sent it back as soon as it came to my notice,” a senior journalist in a leading daily newspaper said. The journalist said that the Deepavali sweet hamper had been left at the office with the guards last Saturday night. “I picked it up and when I opened it, I saw an envelope with cash in it. I did not count it, but I made sure the amount was returned,” the journalist said.

The journalist added that he sent a written letter to the CM expressing his serious dissatisfaction with this. “He has also said sorry. I have been a political reporter for years, this has never happened with me before,” he added.

Another journalist with a leading publication told TNM that he was offered a similar sweet hamper and when he opened it he discovered there was Rs 1 lakh cash included in it. “I reported it to my editors. I told the CMO official that I really cannot accept this and that this is wrong," the journalist said. The third journalist, a leading editor with a TV channel, told TNM that he knew hampers had been distributed. “I asked the CM office to come clean with this, but they did not.”

According to the journalists TNM spoke to, the money differed for chief reporters and editorial heads. One journalist said that the range was between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 3 lakh. It is unclear to how many journalists this cash hamper was given and how many returned it. Meanwhile, reports have emerged of a Minister in the Karnataka government having distributed gold coins to select journalists.

TNM reached out to the Karnataka Chief Minister's office for a response. This story will be updated when the response is received.

The Karnataka Congress took to Twitter on Friday evening to question the Chief Minister over the allegations. “It is known that a journalist has upheld journalism by returning a Rs 2.5 lakh bribe given by the Chief Minister’s office. This incident is proof that Karnataka journalists will not allow the sanctity of journalism to be threatened. The Chief Minister must answer why journalists were given a bribe,” the tweet by the Congress party read.

ಸಿಎಂ ಕಚೇರಿ ನೀಡಿದ ₹2.5 ಲಕ್ಷ ಲಂಚವನ್ನು ವಾಪಸ್ ಮಾಡುವ ಮೂಲಕ ಪತ್ರಿಕಾಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಎತ್ತಿ ಹಿಡಿದಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಎಂಬುದು ತಿಳಿದುಬಂದಿದೆ.

ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತರು ಪತ್ರಿಕಾಧರ್ಮದ ಪಾವಿತ್ರ್ಯತೆಗೆ ದಕ್ಕೆ ತರುವುದಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬುದಕ್ಕೆ ಈ ಘಟನೆಯೇ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿಯಾಗಿದೆ.

ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತರಿಗೆ ಲಂಚ ನೀಡಿದ್ದೇಕೆ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ಸಿಎಂ ಉತ್ತರಿಸಬೇಕು.#SayCM

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) October 28, 2022