Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday indicated that he would not make way for reinstatement of his predecessor B S Yeddyurappa after the High Court ordered quashing of an FIR against him in a case that had led to his ouster, saying other serious cases were pending against him.
“Just now I came to know that the permission granted by the Governor has been quashed. There are several cases pending against him...total eight cases are pending (against him),” Mr. Gowda told PTI on the sidelines of a function in Mumbai.
Mr. Gowda said the pending cases are “severe matters” pertaining to issues like illegal land conversion and de-notification.
“This (the FIR which was quashed today) is concerned with the Lokayukta report with regard to mining activities,” Mr. Gowda said, adding it was for the party’s central leadership to take a call on who should lead the State.
In what is considered as a big relief to BJP strongman Mr. Yeddyurappa, Karnataka High Court on Wednesday ordered quashing of an FIR against him in an illegal mining case based on a report of the Lokayukta that had led to his exit as Chief Minister.
A division bench comprising justices K Bhakstavatsala and K Govindarajulu passed the order allowing an application filed by Mr. Yeddyurappa challenging the Lokayukta FIR. The court also set aside the sanction given by Governor HR Bhardwaj to prosecute Mr. Yeddyurappa.
The court quashed Chapter 22 of the Lokayukta report on illegal mining, which had indicted him over various acts of omission and commission to favour a mining firm on the basis of which the FIR was filed.
The court observed that the chapter 22 was “bad in law” and did not indicate any favours shown by Mr. Yeddyurappa as the chief minister to any mining company.
Mr. Gowda was in the city to attend a roadshow in the run-up to the Global Investors Meet scheduled to be held in June in Bangalore.
When asked about the difficulties faced by investors in the politically charged atmosphere in the State, Mr. Gowda said investors should not be worried and the political discourse will not have much of an impact on the business environment.
“There can be some turbulence inside the party, I don’t dispute that. But in no way it will come in the way of implementation of projects, it will not create any disturbance for investors in our State,” he said.
