Alleged scam rocks Kolar milk union; political war intensifies in Malur
Kolar : The farmer-built Kolar Milk Union has landed at the centre of a major political controversy, with allegations of large-scale financial irregularities triggering investigations by central and state agencies. The issue has now snowballed into a fierce political battle in Malur, nearly two years ahead of the next Assembly elections.
The war of words between sitting Congress MLA K. Y. Nanjegowda and former BJP MLA K. S. Manjunath Gowda has intensified in recent days. Addressing a press conference, Manjunath Gowda alleged that a scam worth nearly ₹300 crore took place after Nanjegowda assumed charge as the union’s president.
He further claimed that corruption had occurred in recruitment processes, the establishment of a solar plant, and construction works linked to MVK Golden Dairy. According to him, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has already initiated a probe, and the Karnataka Lokayukta has also taken up the matter.
Refuting the allegations, Nanjegowda asserted that no irregularities had taken place during his tenure. He maintained that several developmental works were carried out under his leadership and dismissed the accusations as politically motivated. Throwing a challenge to his critics, the MLA said he would retire from politics if any wrongdoing was proven against him.
Meanwhile, the complainant in the case, Gooliganahalli Nagaraj, has escalated the controversy further by alleging that the scam amount is not ₹300 crore but ₹512 crore. He claimed that ₹9 crore was taken during the recruitment process and accused officials of manipulating OMR sheets to favour select candidates.
According to Nagaraj, irregularities were found in 27 out of 75 posts, with instances of candidates having duplicate OMR sheets coming to light during the Lokayukta probe. He also alleged that directors of the union misused farmers’ funds to procure gold coins through a religious trust.
The allegations have raised serious concerns among farmers and stakeholders, as the milk union is considered a key institution built on their contributions. The controversy has also sparked debate over transparency and accountability in cooperative bodies.
With investigations by both the Lokayukta and ED underway, political tempers continue to rise in Kolar. Observers note that the findings of these probes will be crucial in determining the truth behind the allegations and could significantly impact the political landscape in the region.
