JD(S) files writ in HC over land scams

The opposition Janata Dal (S) has requested the Karnataka High Court to direct the state government to continue with the ongoing Lokayukta probe into the alleged land scams and quash the appointment of the enquiry commission announced by the state.

The JD(S) filed a writ petition in the high court in this regard yesterday. In its petition, the party contended that Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has ordered the judicial probe to go into the land scams in the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) and Bangalore Development Authority with a mala fide intention, even as the Lokayukta had commenced the inquiry.

JD(S) spokesman Y S V Datta, in his petition also submitted that Yeddyurappa was misleading people by ordering the probe. The party had filed a complaint before Lokayukta on November 18, seeking a probe into some cases of land denotification and allotment in KIADB.

The Lokayukta has alre-ady filed an FIR against 11 people, including former minister Katta Subramanya Naidu and is in the process of filing a charge sheet on KIADB irregularities. Lokayukta Santosh Hegde objected to the probe looking into issues which his agency has already been investigating without its prior approval, after which Yeddyurappa modified the terms of reference of the probe, headed by retired high court judge B Padmaraj to the effect that all cases under Lokayukta probe till November 18 would be out of purview of the judicial inquiry.

There is already a PIL pending before the high court, seeking a direction on whether the Lokayukta or the judicial commission will enquire into the land scams.