Allegations made to influence SC: Amit Shah on Congress’ bribery audio clips

New Delhi: Hours after a Congress MLA called one of the released audio clips ‘fake’, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Monday accused Congress of trying to influence the Supreme Court’s decision on Karnataka elections by releasing fake audio clips, wherein BJP leaders were allegedly offering bribes to Congress’ MLAs.

“Today, Congress leaders have admitted that the allegations of bribery were false and it was done to influence the Supreme Court,” said BJP chief while addressing the media at the BJP headquarters, as per a News18 report. “We staked claim in Manipur and Goa because Congress was being lazy and didn’t stake their claim. The Governors there had no option but to call us,” the BJP president added.

After Karnataka governor, Vajubhai Vala had given 15 days time to BJP candidate BS Yeddyurappa to prove majority, Congress had released audio clips alleging their MLAs were offered bribes.

The audiotape released allegedly had a conversation between Congress’ Yellapur MLA Shivaram Hebbar’s wife and BJP leaders, who allegedly offered him money. The BJP leader in the clip is allegedly heard offering Rs 15 crore for Hebbar to move to the BJP and asking him to not to vote during the floor test.

Meanwhile, Hebbar called the clip “fake” and said the woman is not his wife. “This is not my wife’s voice and she has not received any such calls. The audio tape is fake. I condemn it,” he said in a Facebook post.