Court asks Lokayukta SP to file case against Karnataka Home Minister

Bangalore: A special court today directed the Lokayukta SP to register a case against Karnataka Home Minister R Ashok, accused of being involved in illegal denotification of government land. Special Lokayukta judge N K Sudhindra Rao also directed the SP to investigate the matter and submit a report on the alleged illegal denotification of government land on November 5. The court has asked for the case to be registered under section 156 (3) of CrPC, which says any magistrate empowered under section 190 (cognisance of offences by magistrates) may order an investigation. RTI activist Jayakumar Hiremath had filed a complaint accusing Ashok of being involved in illegal denotification of government land causing an estimated loss of Rs 50 crore to the state exchequer. [caption id=“attachment_113143” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Yeddyruppa in this file photo. AFP”] [/caption] In his complaint, he said the minister had allegedly denotified 9.12 guntas and 14 guntas (a gunta is 1/40 of an acre) of land belonging to Bangalore Development Authority in Lottegollahalli when B S Yeddyurappa was the chief minister. PTI