BSY, family members booked by Lokayukta

Karnataka Lokayukta Police on Monday registered an FIR against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and his family members in connection with the anti-corruption watchdog’s report into illegal mining.

Besides Yeddyurappa, his sons B Y Raghavendra, MP and B Y Vijendra and sonin-law R N Sohan Kumar and others have been named in the FIR under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Lokayukta sources said. The case relates to alleged donation of Rs 10 crore paid by South West Mining Company to a trust run by Yeddyurappa’s family and also a transaction of Rs 20 crore in the sale of land to a mining firm by them.

Then Lokayukta Santosh Hegde in his July 27 report on illegal mining had indicted Yeddyurappa, which led to his exit as chief minister, over these transactions. Governor H R Bhardwaj, who accepted the chapter 22 of the report relating to the two transactions had forwarded it to the Lokayukta for initiating criminal proceedings against Yeddyurappa and others. On August 20, Lokayukta Shivaraj Patil had directed the Lokayukta police to proceed in the matter according to law.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court on Monday adjourned to August 25 hearing of the petition filed by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa asking for quashing a portion of the Lokyukta report on illegal mining which had indicted him.

A Division bench, comprising Justice K L Manjunath and Justice H S Kempanna, adjourned the hearing after counsel for Yeddyurappa Sandeep Patil sought time till Thursday. Noted advocate Ram Jethmalani will be appearing for Yeddyurappa.

Yeddyurappa has moved the court seeking to quash Chapter 22 of the Lokayukta report on the ground that the recommendations were beyond the scope of terms of reference set by the state for the probe into illegal mining.