High drama prevailed in the Special Lokayukta court hall premises on Saturday as the judge directed the arrest of former Minister S.N. Krishnaiah Shetty, who is one of the accused in the alleged illegal land denotification case involving former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.
A grim faced Mr. Shetty was standing in the dock in the court hall and was reading from a copy of Gayathri Mantra when the judged pronounced the order on the rejection of his bail plea and remanded him to judicial custody till October 22. A shocked Mr. Shetty broke down and started to weep.
Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Hemachandra Sagar, who was standing nearby, rushed to Mr. Shetty to console him.
Minutes later, as the judge was accepting the surety by the accused who was granted bail, there was commotion in the dock area. Shouts for water rang in the court hall as Mr. Shetty had collapsed. Soon, he was provided with a chocolate and was carried out of the court hall.
But, the judge Mr. N.K. Sudheendra Reddy directed the Lokayukta police to hand over custody of Mr. Shetty to the authorities at Parappana Agrahara jail for administering medical attention to him.
Mr. Yeddyurappa, whose bail plea was also rejected, was not present in the court. He had submitted a medical certificate citing back pain seeking exemption from appearing personally.
