Bangalore: In a setback to former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, the vacation bench of Karnataka High Court today set aside the stay granted by a single judge staying proceedings initiated against him by the Lokayukta court on two private complaints.
Justice V Kumar set aside the stay on the petitions filed by Yeddyurappa seeking quashing of the lower court order taking cognisance of the complaints filed by a city-based advocate. PTI
Justice V Kumar set aside the stay on the petitions filed by Yeddyurappa seeking quashing of the lower court order taking cognisance of the complaints filed by city-based advocate Sirajin Basha alleging irregularities in denotification of government land for pecuniary gains.
While delivering the judgement, Justice Kumar said the High Court did not have jurisdiction to interfere in the matter of other court under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act. ”If it does, it will send wrong signal to the nation and give impression that courts were protecting corrupt people,” he said.
Earlier, Justice BS Patil granted ad interim stay on two petitions filed by Yeddyurappa seeking quashing of the lower court order taking cognisance of the complaints filed against him and 14 others and adjourned the hearing to 14 October.
Basha had challenged the grant of stay and sought that it be vacated. Basha submitted he had filed a caveat on the petition relating to the second complaint in which Yeddyurappa, his two sons and his son-in-law are among the accused. But the court pointed out that the caveat related to the petition challenging the Governor’s sanction for prosecution of Yeddyurappa and not to the present case.
In all, five complaints comprising 15 cases were filed by Basha in January. The Lokayukta court in August summoned Yeddyurappa and the other accused in two complaints. In both the complaints, Yeddyurappa is the main accused.
PTI
