Bangalore: Taking a swipe at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa for her statement that Karnataka paid Rs 30 crore ransom for the release of the Kannada mega star, Raj Kumar, from the clutches of forest brigand Veerappan, Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna on September 2 denied the charge and reacted caustically terming it as an "insinuation".

In a strong reaction, a fuming Krishna told reporters, "Such wild statements being made by people holding responsible position are to be checkmated by emphatically denying them."

Krishna termed as "false", Jayalalithaa's statement that Rs 30 crore was paid to Veerappan by Karnataka to secure Raj Kumar's release.

He said he has not seen the full text of the statement and would offer further reactions after getting it. "Perhaps I have more to say later," Krishna said.

Jayalalithaa at a press conference at Chennai on September 2, besides alleging that money exchanged hands, demanded a thorough probe into it.

Krishna on being asked about the progress in securing the release of abducted former minister, H Nagappa, said he was in touch with the kidnapped leader's family.

He said he was also in close touch with Home Minister, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Karnataka DGP, V V Bhaskar who has been camping in Gundal Special Task Force (STF) base since eight days supervising the combing operations.

Keeping the ongoing operations against the bandit under wraps, Krishna said if there was anything useful and if the situation demanded that it should be informed to people, he would do it.

"Currently I have nothing to share," he said.

PTI