Priyank Kharge’s Aide Held in Drug Case, BJP Slams Congress
Lingaraj Kanni, linked to Minister Priyank Kharge, caught with banned codeine syrup in Maharashtra; political heat intensifies.
-
Kharge’s aide held with banned drug in Thane.
-
Congress expels Kanni after arrest.
-
BJP, Kharge trade barbs over drug links.
GG News Bureau
Bengaluru/Mumbai, 14th July: Lingaraj Kanni, a Congress leader from Karnataka and known associate of Minister Priyank Kharge, was arrested by Maharashtra Police in Thane for allegedly selling narcotic substances. Kanni, who served as the Kalaburagi South Block Congress President, was apprehended with 120 bottles of banned codeine syrup. A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 at the Kalyan Police Station.
Following the arrest, the Congress party swiftly expelled Kanni from his post. Reacting to the incident, Minister Priyank Kharge denied any close association with Kanni and stated, “Whether the amount is ₹27,000 or ₹27 crore, breaking the law is unacceptable. Appropriate action was taken immediately.”
However, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya attacked the Congress, alleging deeper links between the party and drug peddlers. “It’s no surprise that individuals close to Congress ministers are being arrested in drug cases. We must ensure a fair investigation,” Surya said, warning against any cover-up by the state government.
In response, Kharge accused the BJP of hypocrisy. “Let them act on the POCSO-accused in their party, their MLAs facing rape charges, and their own leaders’ children involved in crimes. I’ve acted responsibly. Have they?” he asked.
This is not the first controversy surrounding Kharge’s associates. In December 2024, another aide, Raju Kapanur, was named in a suicide case involving a 26-year-old contractor in Bidar. Kapanur, a known history-sheeter, was also booked in a murder conspiracy targeting BJP MLA Basavaraj Mattimadu.
