The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the State on Thursday alleged before the High Court of Karnataka that actions of the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa related to deletion of certain notified lands had resulted even in the High Court quashing Bangalore Development Authority’s ‘Dr. K. Shivaram Karanth Layout’ project as the layout could not be formed within the statutory period of five years.
Senior Counsel Ravi Varma Kumar made these submissions on behalf of the ACB during the hearing on the petitions filed by Mr. Yeddyurappa questioning two corruption cases registered against him by the ACB on a complaint that he had allegedly misused his position as Chief Minister in the process of deletion of notified lands for the layout project.
The High Court had in September 2015 quashed the entire preliminary notification — issued by the BDA in 2008 identifying 3,546 acres of land in different villages between Doddaballapur and Hessarghatta for the layout — for the reason that the layout project had not been implemented within five years as per law as the BDA had not even issued the final notifications. The High Court had in 2014 quashed preliminary notification for some lands for the reason that the project was not completed within the statutory period.
On the contention of Mr. Yeddyurappa that the FIRs were not registered within the period specified by the apex court for conducting preliminary inquiry in corruption cases, it was pointed out by Mr. Kumar that the delay in registration of the FIR does not vitiate action of the ACB.
It was also contended on behalf of the ACB that a bar on courts, under Section 19 (3) (c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, from staying of proceedings in corruption cases “would imply that the courts cannot stay the investigation of cases registered under the PC Act.”
Justice Aravind Kumar adjourned further hearing till September 4 as the arguments of the ACB’s counsel opposing Mr. Yeddyurappa’s interim plea for staying the investigation could not be completed.
