Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa got temporary relief on Friday after Kalaburagi Bench of Karnataka High Court passed an interim order staying the police investigation into the audiotape bribery case registered in Devadurga police station against him and three others.
Mr. Yeddyurappa had filed a petition on Tuesday seeking to quash the First Information Report (FIR) registered against him, BJP MLAs K. Shivanagowda Naik and Preetham Gowda, and former journalist and the media adviser to Mr. Yeddyurappa, M.B. Maramkal, on February 13, following a complaint by Sharanagowda, the son of Gurmitkal MLA Naganagowda, in connection with the audio tape record. Advocate Sanjay Kulkarni, along with senior counsel C V Nagesh, defended Mr, Yeddyurappa. Ashok Haranahalli appeared for the other three accused in the case.
The petition was heard by Justice PGM Patil on Wednesday and the judgement was reserved. On Friday, he pronounced an interim order staying the further proceedings including the police investigation into the case and pending the final judgement. The judge also issued a notice to Sharanagowda asking him to appear before it.
“Apart from staying the further proceedings and investigation into the FIR, the court has also issued a notice to the complainant, Mr. Sharanagowda. The court will now hear the case in detail before delivering its final order on the writ petition,” Sanjay Kulkarni, the defence lawyer appearing for Mr Yeddyurappa, told The Hindu .
