HC rejects Yeddyurappa's plea to stay prosecution process

The Karnataka High Court, on Thursday rejected the petition filed by former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa seeking a stay on the prosecution process against him in a corruption case. The court also refused to grant him exemption from appearing before a special court of Lokayukta, which is hearing the corruption related complaints against him.

The high court, which conducted hearing into three cases against Yeddyurappa, directed the former CM to appear before it on August 27. The court had issued the summons on August 8, and since then Yeddyurappa had been trying to avoid appearing before the court. He has already filed applications before the HC seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the two cases.

In January this year, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj had sanctioned the prosecution of Yeddyurappa who was then the chief minister following an appeal made by a Bangalore-based advocate Sirajin Basha for alleged offences in land denotification cases. Basha had lodged 5 complaints relating to 15 alleged offences with the Special Court designated to hear the corruption related cases.

Meanwhile, in another case relating to Yeddyurappa on the Lokayukta report on illegal mining, the High court has adjourned the case to August 29. Yeddyurappa had sought the quashing of chapter 22 of Lokayukta report, which had indicted him in connection with illegal mining.

Yeddyurappa’s two sons and son-in-law are said to have benefited to the tune of Rs 30 crore from South West Mining Ltd, a Jindal Group company.

Justices K L Manjunath and H S Kempanna posted the petition to August 29 after hearing Supreme Court advocate Ram Jethmalani, who appeared for Yeddyurappa.

The court observed that the amount mentioned in the report added upto Rs 50 crore instead of Rs 30 crore. Jethmalani questioned the Lokayukta report for implicating the former chief minister without any credible evidence.

Yeddurappa's sons should have been given an opportunity to explain, instead of just going by the report filed by the enquiry officer U V Singh, he said.

"Where does corruption come in the donations, Rs 10 crore given to an educational trust and Rs 20 crore for building an auditorium," he asked.