Janthakal mining lease case: Conditional bail for H D Kumaraswamy
The court has directed Mr Kumaraswamy not to destroy any evidence, and to assist with the investigation of the case.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to former chief minister and JD (S) leader H D Kumaraswamy in the Janthakal mining case.
The court has imposed certain conditions while granting bail, which includes directions to Mr Kumaraswamy to furnish a bond of Rs 5 lakh, along with two sureties.
The court has further directed him to appear before the investigating officer once in every 15 days till the final report is submitted in the case or till six months (whichever is earlier).
The court has directed him not to destroy any evidence, and to assist with the investigation of the case.
Mr Kumarswamy is accused of putting pressure on an IAS officer to renew the mining lease of Janthakal Enterprises in violation of various norms.
The SIT had argued that Mr Kumaraswamy had telephoned the bureaucrat, Ganga Ram Baderiya, directing him to renew the license. It was done within two hours after the telephone call, it had argued.
Baderiya was arrested by SIT for allegedly receiving kickbacks to the tune of '10 lakh from the mining company to renew its license in 2007, when he was director of the Mines and Geology Department.
The case is related to the renewal of a mining lease and to grant a work permit to lift the old dump in Holalkere taluk in Chitradurga district that belonged to Janthakal Enterprises.