Karnataka HC allows probe against Yeddyurappa in denotification case

Bangalore: Karnataka High Court on Tuesday allowed the Lokayukta Police probe against BJP National Vice-President B S Yeddyurappa and others, on a petition challenging the Lokayukta Court order dismissing complaints against them in a land denotification case in Shimoga district.

Justice Anand Byrareddy set aside the Shimoga Lokayukta Court order which had dismissed complaints against Yeddyurappa and his son and MLA B Y Raghavendra accusing them of purchasing land through illegal means, and ordered Lokayukta Police to initiate an inquiry into the matter.

The Lokayukta Court had dismissed the complaints against Yeddyurappa and others filed by B Vinod, a Shimoga-based advocate, on the grounds that he had not availed himself of sanction from the Governor for prosecution prior to filing the complaint.

Challenging the Lokayukta Court order, Vinod filed a criminal revision petition in the High Court contending that Yeddyurappa is not in a similar position (Chief Minister) as he was at the time of the alleged commission of offence and hence there is no requirement for him to avail sanction from the Governor for prosecution prior to filing the complaint.

Vinod has alleged that Dhavalagiri Properties, owned by family members of Yeddyurappa, had purchased 69 acres near Hunasekatte village in Bhadravati taluk through benamidars.

The complainant has also alleged that various provisions of Karnataka Land Reforms Act were violated in purchasing the land, and that Yeddyurappa had misused power in getting the land transferred to the name of the firm owned by his family members.

Reacting to the High Court verdict, Yeddyurappa said "....the claim that the 56/58 acres land belongs to Forest department is far from truth. The land was purchased about fourteen to fifteen years ago by my family members. It does not personally belong to me...."

"Already Forest department has investigated and said that the land does not belong to the department. Still someone had appealed against us in the High Court, where it has said that it needs to be investigated once again. I'm very confident (about coming clean)," he said in New Delhi.

Karnataka BJP President Prahlad Joshi said "We are confident that Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa (former Deputy Chief Minister and state senior BJP leader) will come out clean from this inquiry. We have full confidence in our judicial system."

Karnataka High Court today allowed the Lokayukta police probe against Eshwarappa in a disproportionate assets case.