BENGALURU: In a surprising development, the Karnataka Lokayukta police have registered an FIR against Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to probe the Rs 74.93-crore disproportionate assets case against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The FIR was filed 50 days after the case was transferred by the state government to the Lokayukta police for investigation.
The Congress government issued a notification on December 22, 2023, transferring the case to the Lokayukta police for investigation. This was after issuing a notification on November 28, 2023, withdrawing the consent granted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for investigation on September 25, 2019, by the previous BJP government.
After registering the FIR, the Lokayukta police have written to the CBI to transfer details and records related to the investigation done by it till the consent was withdrawn, sources in the Lokayukta police said.
The High Court of Karnataka is hearing the petitions filed by the CBI and BJP MLA Basanagouda R Patil questioning the withdrawal of consent given to the CBI and transfer of investigation to the Lokayukta police. On February 12, the division bench allowed the interlocutory application filed by Patil’s counsel to make the Lokayukta police a respondent to the petition and adjourned the hearing to February 29. The CBI has made the Lokayukta police a respondent to its petition.
K’taka govt illegally moved our FIR to Lokayukta: CBI
In its petition challenging the withdrawal of consent and transfer of investigation, the CBI contended that the state government had illegally transferred its FIR to the Lokayukta police. In any case, the consent given to it cannot be withdrawn with retrospective effect.
A single judge had referred the pleas of the CBI and Yatnal to the Chief Justice to constitute a larger bench to take decisions on them. While doing so on January 5, the single judge heard the submission of advocates appearing for the CBI and Yatnal and observed that till a decision is taken on the matter, the Lokayukta police should not commence any investigation. The single judge also took note of a similar submission by the AG that even the CBI should be asked to halt its investigation. However, this aspect is left to the consideration of the ‘Bench in the Making’, the single judge stated.
On the reason for the FIR now when the petitions challenging legality of withdrawal of consent and transferring the case to Lokayukta police are being heard by the HC, Lokayukta sources said the court has not stopped them from registering it.
Will fight it out legally, says DCM
Responding to queries on the Lokayukta Police registering an FIR against him, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said he will continue with his legal battle in cases registered against him.