Hassan officials deny bribery allegations following leaked WhatsApp chats

Hassan Deputy Commissioner KS Latha Kumari and local officials have dismissed allegations of corruption involving bribery for administrative clearances. The controversy stems from WhatsApp chats released by Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, which purportedly show a personal assistant to the Deputy Commissioner discussing a bribe of Rs 75 lakh to prevent the official's transfer.

Deputy Commissioner Kumari characterized the claims as baseless attempts to tarnish the district administration's image. The Deputy Commissioner's personal assistant, Shashikiran, has filed a police complaint alleging that the chats were fabricated by an unknown individual. Meanwhile, Hassan district in-charge minister KM Shivalingegowda denied the bribery claims, stating he is prepared to take an oath to prove his innocence and suggesting the messages may have been created using artificial intelligence.

HD Kumaraswamy has criticized the Karnataka government, accusing it of shielding officials by providing a clean chit without a formal investigation. He argued that the possibility of AI-generated messages should not serve as an excuse to avoid scrutiny. The chats have been sent to a State Forensic Laboratory to verify their authenticity.