He's putting up a brave front

His residence was out of bounds for his supporters during the raid

Former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa addressing the Media outside his official residence on race course road in Bangalore on 16 May 2012. Photo: K .Bhagya Prakash .

The former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa's residences in Dollar Colony and off Racecourse Road in the city resembled fortresses under siege for more than two hours on Wednesday morning when a battery of sleuths from the Central Bureau of Investigation carried out searches in the wake of the investigating agency registering a case against him in the mining scam.

Mr. Yeddyurappa's close associates — B.J. Puttaswamy, till recently the Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, the former MLA A.G. Kodgi from Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation Chairman M.D. Lakshminarayana and sitting MLC N. Thippanna — were taken aback when they reached the former Chief Minister's official residence off Racecourse Road early on Wednesday and found the house virtually sealed off.

Mr. Yeddyurappa's associates, who came to visit him, were stopped by security personnel on the approach road.

Quite unlike in the past, the CBI sleuths posted outside the houses sported black waistcoats and caps, bearing the investigating agency's name.

According to reliable sources, Mr. Yeddyurappa, throughout the duration of the searches, was present in his Racecourse Road residence.

But, soon after the searches ended around noon, several of his supporters, including Ministers Shobha Karandlaje, M.P. Renukacharya, Umesh Katti, Jagadish Shettar and C.M. Udasi made a beeline to his residence and were closeted with him.

‘Painful'

Mr. Yeddyurappa, who emerged from the house in the evening, told mediapersons that it was a “painful day” for him.

He said the CBI teams had taken certain documents from his residence with them.

He said he and his family members would fully cooperate with the investigating agency.

“I am confident that truth will emerge from the probe and I will come clean,” he said. He added that he had a lot of respect for the CBI.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said he had worked for the welfare of the people of the State during the three-and-a-half years of the BJP's four-year rule in the State.

“I am confident that I will emerge unscathed from the probe and return to serve the people of the State,” he added.