BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Friday ordered a notice to the state government and the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) in response to a petition filed by former deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader R Ashok seeking quashing of the FIR registered against him in connection with a bagair hukum land scam.
Hearing the petition, Justice R B Budihal also ordered notice to the Karnataka Lokayukta as it is one of the respondents in the petition. The court said it will consider the interim prayer for stay sought by the petitioner on Tuesday, the next date of hearing, after hearing the respondents -- the state and the ACB.
Ashok had pleaded to the court to quash the complaint dated January 3, 2018, and the FIR dated January 8, 2018.
Ashok was the chairman of Bengaluru South Taluk Bagar Hukum Land Regularisation Committee from 1998 to 2006 and Uttarahalli constituency MLA. He has been accused of being one of the beneficiaries in the alleged scam. The ACB alleged that the committee sanctioned the land even to those who were not eligible for it. Senior Counsel B V Acharya, representing Ashok, argued that the ACB registered the case to settle political scores and tarnish (Ashok’s) image.