BENGALURU: An advocate has sought transparency in former CM BS Yediyurappa’s land denotification case, and claimed that Lokayukta police should provide public updates on the ongoing corruption case involving former CM.
Advocate Sachin Deshpande has said the case, which was first filed before the Supreme Court, concerns Special Leave Petitions -- SLP Nos. Crl 9407/2017 and 9401/2017 -- and was recently heard by the Supreme Court on December 3, 2024, for the first time since November 14, 2018.
In a press release, Deshpande said, ‘’It is important to recall that on November 19, 2024, I submitted a representation to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India... I raised concerns about the “appearance of judicial favouritism” in corruption cases involving BS Yediyurappa and urged timely intervention to uphold public faith in judicial impartiality. One of the specific cases referenced is the corruption case against Yediyurappa, concerning denotification of lands in Bengaluru.’’
At the heart of the case is the alleged corruption surrounding the denotification of 257 acres of land in Bengaluru, intended for the Shivaram Karanth Layout. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) filed FIRs against Yediyurappa, accusing him of influencing the exclusion of these lands from acquisition, despite the fact that Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) had identified them as crucial to the proposed layout.
He said, ‘’Following a complaint on June 6, 2017, the ACB initiated a preliminary inquiry and subsequently registered two FIRs in August 2017 -- Crime Nos. 34/2017 and 36/2017. In response, Yediyurappa filed writ petitions in the Karnataka High Court WP 37544/2017 and WP 37702/2017, seeking to quash the FIRs. On September 22, 2017, the High Court issued an interim stay on investigation, which remains in place.’’
He said, ‘’The transparency surrounding cases of alleged corruption, particularly involving high-profile public servants such as Yediyurappa, is crucial to maintain public trust in the judicial system. The public is entitled to know the status of investigation against Yediyurappa.”