3 more complaints filed against Yeddy

More trouble is on the cards for Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, as three more private complaints on various charges, including corruption and nepotism, were filed today against him and some of his family members in a city court in connection with denotification decisions on land. With this, a total of five private complaints have been filed against him.

The complaints, registered at the court of 23rd additional city civil and sessions judge,

C B Hipparagi, also the special judge for Lokayukta cases, listed three offences each relating to alleged illegal land deals.

The complainant, Sirajin Basha, one of the two advocates who had secured sanction from Governor H R Bhardwaj for prosecuting the CM, has named Yeddyurappa the common accused in all the complaints.

The complainant alleged the CM had abused his power and position to “secure illegal pecuniary gains to his kith and kin” and had in the process “flouted all rules, regulations and settled procedures causing irreparable damage to the exchequer of the state”.

The illegal acts had resulted in monetary gain of Rs 189 crore to the beneficiaries and a loss of Rs 465 crore to the state exchequer, the complainant alleged. Due to the number of documents to be processed, the list of accused and witnesses, the court has posted the three complaints for a report from the court’s office and a possible hearing to the first week of February.

NDA allies uneasy
Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to stand in support of the Karnataka chief minister in his open political war with Governor H R Bhardwaj, senior leaders of the National Democratic Alliance it leads have told the party leadership that B S Yeddyurappa was a liability in their campaign against corruption.

Senior leaders of the NDA had detailed discussions with the BJP leadership and said if Yeddyurappa was not removed as chief minister, the Congress party would benefit. And, it would only weaken the demand of the entire Opposition for setting up a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe in Parliament on the telecom scam.

Concerned over the recent developments in Karnataka and the charges of land scams against Yeddyurappa and some members of his cabinet, NDA convener Sharad Yadav expressed his displeasure and said he had already taken up the issue with BJP leaders and advised them.

“I am not with anyone on the recent developments of Karnataka. Since BJP and JD(U) are both part of the NDA, we can only advise them. What else can an alliance partner do?” he said. Yadav is head of the Janata Dal (United).

“The BJP should have removed Yeddyurappa by now. Because of the presence of the Karnataka chief minister, our stand against corruption is getting affected inside and outside Parliament,” said another senior JD(U) leader.

BJP leaders meet Prez
Vehemently defending the Karnataka chief minister in his political battle, senior members of the Bharatiya Janata Party met President Pratibha Patil to demand recall of H R Bhardwaj, the state governor, for sanctioning his prosecution.