Ballari, (Karnataka), May 12 (IANS): A corporator in Karnataka's Ballari on Thursday lodged a complaint against a Congress leader for allegedly cheating him of Rs 3.5 crore after promising the Mayor's post.

Congress corporator of ward 30, Asif Basha lodged a complaint with the Kaul Bazar police station against Congress leader T.G.A Erriswamy.

This comes as allegations of heavy money transactions had swirled around the recently concluded elections for Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the Ballari City Corporation.

Basha, in his complaint, alleged that the promise was not kept but Erriswamy refused to repay the money and threatened him whenever he had asked for it.

The corporator said that he had given money to the accused in two installments, Rs 2.5 crore in 2021 and Rs 1 crore in 2022. Kaul Bazar police are investigating the case.

Sources say that Erriswamy is a relative of MLA Nagendra and he looked after his work in the region. The police has issued notices to both Erriswamy and Basha over the issue.

Erriswamy was unavailable for comment, but the local Congress unit came out in his defence, saying that he has not indulged in any such activity and will come out clean.