HC stays probe into land scams for 4 weeks

The Karnataka High Court on Friday stayed for four weeks the judicial probe into land scandals in the state as it is yet to decide who has to conduct the investigation.

The stay was ordered on a petition filed by Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader Y S V Datta who had challenged the setting up of the judicial commission by chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. The chief minister was charged with favouring his kin with allotment of prime land in and around Bangalore.

The state cabinet had appointed former HC judge justice Padmaraj to look into the alleged irregularities in land allocation in state since 1995.

Datta, JD(S) spokesper-son, had petitioned the high court saying the Lok Ayukta (ombudsman) had begun investigations into charges against Yeddyurappa and hence there was no need for the judicial probe.

Chief justice J S Khehar and justice A S Bopanna directed the commission not to proceed with the probe for four weeks as the government wanted three weeks to respond to Datta’s contention.

It may be remembered the setting up of the judicial commission had up-set Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde, a retired judge of the SC.

Datta, as well as the main opposition party Congress are opposing the probe by the commission contending that it had been set up by Yeddyurappa to avoid investigation by the Lokayukta into charges against him.

Over the last three months, land scandals have been making headlines after evidence has emerged that Yeddyurappa had allotted a 4,000 sq ft residential plot in an upmarket residential area to his son and Lok Sabha member B Y Raghavendra.

The JD(S) also released documents claiming the chief minister had also favoured his younger son, daughter, son-in-law, sister, her daughter and son-in-law with prime residential or commercial land. Subsequently, Yeddyurappa’s relatives had surrendered the land.