In the midst of their electoral battle, the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and the former Minister D.K. Shivakumar have received a setback in their legal battle as the Karnataka High Court on Monday allowed the Special Lokayukta Court to proceed against them in a corruption case related to illegal denotification of land.
However, the High Court exempted both from personally appearing before the Special Court.
Justice Anand Byrareddy passed the interim order while vacating the earlier stay on further proceedings on the case pending before the Special Court.
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The Special Court, based on two private complaints about denotification of a four acres at Benniganahhalli in Bangalore, had asked the Lokayukta police to probe the allegations made in the complaint. After the probe, the police had filed charge sheet against Mr. Shivakumar while giving a clean chit to Mr. Yeddyurappa. However, the Special Court had also taken cognisance of offence against Mr. Yeddyurappa.
While Mr. Shivakumar had moved the High Court challenging the charge sheet, Mr. Yeddyurappa had moved the High Court questioning the action of the Special Court. Initially the High Court had stayed the further proceedings against them.
The land was denotified by Mr. Yeddyurappa on May 13, 2010 when he was Chief Minister. It had been acquired for East of NGEF Layout in 1986 and Mr. Shivakumar bought this notified land in 2003.
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