Speaker rejects sanction for prosecuting BJP MLA,IO files memo

The Investigating Officer of the Lokayukta police probing the private complaint filed against a ruling BJP MLA today filed a memo before the Lokayukta court stating that the Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah has rejected the sanction to prosecute him.
Filing a memo before judge N K Sudhindra Rao, the officer V P N Swamy stated that the Speaker had rejected sanction to prosecute Yelahanka BJP MLA S R Vishwanath on three main grounds that the Magistrate should not have taken cognisance of the complaint; the IO has failed to establish the "benami" properties in Vishwanath's name and overall the officer has failed to establish a prima facie case against the MLA.

The court adjourned the matter to April 1.
The High Court earlier last year had disposed of the anticipatory bail petition filed by Vishwanath regarding a private complaint filed at Lokayukta court accusing him of amassing as much as Rs 70 crore after entering politics, in the wake of submission by the Lokayukta police that they would not arrest Vishwanath.
V Sashidhar had filed the private complaint in the Lokayukta court against Vishwanath in December 2011. He alleged that Vishwanath, besides amassing Rs 70 crore, also owned three-and-a-half acres at Hesarghatta Sriramanahalli which belonged to Karnataka Housing Cooperative Society.