A leaked audio clip has ignited a political storm in Karnataka, featuring Congress MLA and Deputy Chairman of the State Policy and Planning Commission, BR Patil, leveling serious allegations of corruption against the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation. In the conversation—reportedly between Patil and Sarfaraz Khan, the personal assistant to Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan—Patil expresses anger over widespread bribery in the distribution of government housing intended for the poor.
In the audio, Patil claims that only those who paid bribes were allotted houses under the state housing scheme, while genuine recommendations from elected representatives, including his own, were disregarded. He alleges that Gram Panchayat presidents who offered money had their lists prioritized, leaving his requests sidelined. “Whoever has paid money, got houses. Is this a business?” Patil is heard saying, adding that if he were to disclose the full extent of the corruption, it would "shake the government."
Patil specifically mentions the alleged distribution of around 950 houses in several villages of his Aland constituency—including Munnalli, Hittala Shirur, Dangapur, Kavalaga, and Madiyal—as being influenced by bribes. Khan, in response, denies the allegations and assures Patil that action will be taken against any official found guilty if evidence is provided. The BJP has swiftly reacted to the leaked clip, demanding a judicial inquiry and the resignation of Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka and other BJP leaders said the audio validates claims of systemic corruption in the Congress-led government, echoing previous criticism—even from within the Congress—about Karnataka's alarming corruption levels.
The controversy has renewed public scrutiny of the state's welfare schemes and their implementation, particularly those aimed at economically weaker sections. As of now, neither BR Patil nor the Congress party has issued an official response to the leaked audio.