Union minister HD Kumaraswamy has accused officials in the Hassan deputy commissioner's office of demanding bribes for permissions. He claims that WhatsApp chats between the staff and a middleman suggest large-scale irregularities are occurring. The deputy commissioner, KS Latha Kumari, rejected these allegations as completely false and plans to file a complaint. Chief minister DK Shivakumar defended the deputy commissioner, attributing the allegations to political motivations.