BENGALURU: The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday gave an undertaking before the Karnataka High Court that it will neither arrest nor summon former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa till the next date of hearing on Monday.
The senior counsel, representing the ACB, gave an undertaking before Justice Arvind Kumar, who is hearing both Yeddyurappa's petitions challenging two FIRs registered by the ACB against him on charges of illegal denotification.
Yeddyurappa's counsel, during the hearing on Wednesday, had cast apprehensions about the former chief minister's arrest, following which the high court directed the ACB to give the undertaking.
The ACB counsel also submitted before the court that they will withdraw the notice dated August 21, asking Yeddyurappa to appear before the investigating agency on Thursday. Recording the undertaking and also the counsel’s arguments, the matter was adjourned to Monday to hear the ACB’s arguments.
ACB registered FIRs based on a complainant filed by Dr Aiyappa, former vice chancellor of a private university, for allegedly denotifying 257 acres of land illegally. The FIRs were registered on August 10 and 19 respectively.
Accusing Yeddyurappa of misusing his powers to help land owners, the complainant has accused the former chief minister of causing loss to Bangalore Development Authority.
According to the complaint, Yeddyurappa allegedly passed 20 different orders to denotify a total of 250 acres of land acquired for Dr Shivarama Karanth Layout in Bengaluru North taluk. The denotification allegedly occurred when he was the chief minister between 2009-12.
The ACB also arrayed 4 officials of Urban Development Department and BDA as accused. The ACB, subsequently, after registering FIRs against Yeddyurappa, issued a notice asking him to appear before it.