HC dismisses plea of ex-PM's son

Karnataka High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by H D Balakrishna Gowda, son of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, seeking quashing of the disproportionate assets case against him in a lower court. Justice N Ananda dismissed the plea on the grounds that the High Court did not have the jurisdiction to interfere into the probe initiated by Lokayukta police under an order by Lokayukta court.

Overruling Gowda’s counsel Uday Holla, Justice Ananda contended even a retired official indulging in corrupt practices was liable for prosecution in the light of the issue becoming public.Holla contended that his client (Gowda) had acquired property worth crores after his retirement from the services in 2005. Holla also submitted that the case had been filed “totally with malafide intention,” and filed by a person employed by political rival to “tarnish” Gowda’s image. S N Balakrishna, retired assistant manager of Visveswarayya Iron and Steel in his September 22 complaint, before the Lokayukta court, had charged Balakrishna Gowda with possessing wealth worth '70 crore, disproportionate to his known sources of income at the time of his retirement from government service and currently valued at '500 crore.

Lokayukta advocate Gayatri contended that an investigating agency has powers to file chargesheet and prosecute officials indulging in corruption even after their retirement.She referred to courts implicating former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and former Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal for corruption. Lokayukta police had filed first information report on September 30 and conducted raids on Gowda’s houses. Meanwhile, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy's petition seeking quashing of FIR filed by Lokayukta Police following a complaint accusing him of facilitating illegal mining during his tenure as Chief Minister.