Karnataka HC issues notice to BS Yediyurappa, son in housing project corruption case

On Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court issued a notice to the former Chief Minister of the state, his son and BJP state Vice President BY Vijayendra in a case alleging corruption in a housing project. In the same case, a notice has been issued to the former minister and an IAS officer ST Somashekar. A single-judge bench comprising Justice S Sunil Dutt Yadav directed issuing notices while hearing a plea filed by an activist, TJ Abraham challenging the special court’s order on July 8 this year, directed the issuance of the pleas. 

On July 8, a Special Court in Bengaluru rejected the said corruption case filed by TJ Abrahan, citing the 'absence of sanction for his prosecution'. While conceding that there is some material to order a probe under Section 156(3) of the CrPC, Special Court judge B Jayantha Kumar referred the verdicts of the Supreme Court to rule that this was not possible without valid sanction from Governor Vajubhai Vala, who is the 'competent authority' as per the Prevention of Corruption Act. 

In his complaint, Abraham urged the Special Court to order a probe against nine persons, including Yediyurappa and Minister ST Somashekar, for allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs.12.5 crore from the representatives of M/s Ramalingam Construction Company Pvt. Ltd. for resuming a housing project that was stalled. While he filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau on November 25, 2020, the latter closed the complaint on December 15, 2020. In the Special Court, the ACP DSP produced a photocopy of an order dated June 23 whereby the Governor rejected the complainant's request for sanction for prosecution of the Karnataka CM.

Another setback for Yediyurappa 

Incidentally, this is not the only corruption case against the Karnataka CM. Earlier on July 3, a special court rejected a closure report filed by the Lokayukta in another corruption case against Yediyurappa. Ruling that the probe was only perfunctory, Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Shridhar Gopalakrishna Bhat directed the Deputy SP attached to the police wing of the Lokayukta to investigate the matter further. Moreover, the judge asked the investigative officer to keep in mind the observations of the Karnataka High Court of the delay in conducting a probe. 

On January 18, the Lokayukta police had reported to the special court that “Yediyurappa had committed no offense” under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Commenting on this development, the Congress party called upon the Chief Minister to resign to ensure a fair probe into the alleged corruption scandal. Seeking action from the BJP top brass, Congress communications in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala asserted that this is the litmus test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's famous slogan 'Na Khaunga, Na Khane Doonga' ((neither will I indulge in corruption, nor allow anyone else to indulge in it)'. 

Image Credit: PTI