The Karnataka Lokayukta is consistently pursuing former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa with summons.
In a latest development, the Lokayukta court has ordered issue of summons to Yeddyurappa, his son BY Raghavendra, the MP and five other benamidars in connection with a case on alleged illegal land deals in Bhadravathi in Shim oga. He was also summoned in yet another case for allegedly kickbacks in Upper Bhadra project.
Judge NK Sudhindra Rao further directed the accused to appear before him on September 25. The court made its observation based on Shimoga Deputy Commissioner Vedamurthy’s report, which stated that no non-regularisation had taken place.
Rao had last month directed the Lokayukta police to complete a comprehensive probe and submit its report on a private complaint by B Vinod, a Shimoga-based advocate.
Vinod had alleged that Yeddyurappa had abused his office and denotified 69 acres of land at Bhadravathi in 2010 and more than 250 acres of forest land at the reserve forest in Bhadravathi between 2010 and 2011.
However, Karnataka Lokayukta ADGP, HN Satyanarayana Rao maintained that no materialistic evidence was found to prove the case. The Court also made its observation on the report of Deputy Commissioner Vedamurthy, who stated that no irregularity had taken place in the particular transaction.
The five benamidars are BK Somashekhar, his wife BS Uma Devi, sister BK Radhamani, his mother Adi Lakshmamamma and one HV Manjunath, who was asked to execute the sale deed in favour of Dhavalagiri Properties owned by Yeddyurappa’s family.
In the Upper Bhadra case, the special court judge NK Sudhindra Rao had rejected the B report filed by the Lokayuta police and summoned Yeddyurappa his sons, son-in-law and officials of Murudeshwara Power Corporation Ltd (MPCL), a sister concern of RNS infrastructures, represented by Naveen Shetty who will have to appear on September 25.
The complaint was filed by JD(S) leader YSV Datta in August 2011, alleging that as chief minister, Yeddyurappa had favoured the joint venture of RNS Infrastructure and Jyothi Limited and subsequently received kickbacks.
According to the complainant, Rs 63.27 crore was transferred to Bhadra project account of RNS. Later, part of this amount was transferred to Sahyadri Healthcare and Rs 10 crore from the same money was transferred to Dhavalagiri properties account, owned by Yeddyurappa’s family members.
Yeddyurappa was forced to resign by the BJP High Command in July 2011 in the wake of his indictment by Lokayukta Santosh Hegde in the Rs 16,000-crore mining scam.
Karnataka High Court quashed the first information report registered by the investigation wing of the Lokayukta police. However, the Supreme Court in May had ordered a CBI enquiry against Yeddyurappa for illegalities in mining activities, in which he allegedly used his public office.
-Sunday Standard