SC refuses to lift stay on proceedings against CM

In a reprieve for Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, the Supreme Court today refused to quash a Karnataka High Court order which had stayed criminal proceedings against him and his family members in a corruption case.

A bench of justices V S Sirpurkar and T S Thakur dismissed the petition filed by two advocates challenging the stay granted by the High Court against a trial court order which had taken cognisance of the complaint filed against the Chief Minister and his family. The bench, while dismissing the petition, asked the HC to consider the application moved by the complainant, if any, for vacation of the stay not later than six weeks.

Advocate Sirajin Basha had moved the apex court through advocate Prashant Kumar challenging the March 29 Karnataka High Court order which had allowed the petition filed by Yeddyurappa's son-in-law Sohan Kumar. Basha had souht directions to lift the stay on the proceedings against CM and his family members in a complaint case related to irregularities in denotification of land.

Sohan had challenged the lower court order for further proceedings, including the Lokyukta probe, against them. There are five complaints filed against the Chief Minister's family members and the Governor had accorded sanction to prosecute for offences committed under IPC section 405 (criminal breach of trust) and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The Additional Civil and Sessions Judge had on March 24 postponed prosecution in the complaint and ordered Lokayukta police to probe the matter and submit the final report of the inquiry by May 4.