Court issues notices to Santosh Hegde, R K Dutta

Justice B V Pinto of the HC's Dharwad circuit bench ordered issue of notices allowing the petition of Nimbalkar who had challenged lower court orders dismissing a defamation suit against Hegde and others and seeking a direction to the jurisdictional magistrate to take cognisance of the petition.

Nimbalkar, a senior IPS officer, has in his petition stated that statements issued by Hegde, in his capacity as the then Lokayukta and also then Lokayukta ADGP R K Dutta in a press conference in 2009 that the official possessed disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 250 crore had defamed his image.

Lokayukta police had conducted raids on premises owned by Nimbalkar in 2009 after registering a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Nimbalkar, who was the Superintendent of Police in Belgaum district, submitted Lokayukta police filed "B" report on their investigation that no case can be made out against him under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act on February 22, 2012.

He filed a defamation suit which was dismissed by a Belgaum Magistrate court on March 13, 2012 and the District and Session court also rejected the petition later.

Nimbalkar moved the High Court challenging both the lower court orders and sought a direction to take congnisance of his petition on which the bench ordered notices today.

Some of the publications, including newspapers which published the statements of Hegde and Dutta, have also been named as respondents by Nimbalkar.