The Karnataka High Court on Monday refused to stay proceedings against the former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda and his wife, and Minister Murugesh Nirani pending before Special Lokayukta Court in separate cases of alleged corruption.
Justice Anand Byrareddy refused to stay the proceedings for the reason that the Prevention of Corruption Act bars courts from granting stay on the proceedings. However, the court ordered issue of notices to Nagalaxmi Bai and Alam Pasha, based on whose complaints the Special Court had initiated proceedings against Mr. Gowda and Mr. Nirani respectively.
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In the complaint, Mr. Gowda has been accused of purchasing certain private properties in his wife’s name at Bagalur in Bangalore and a site from Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) under ‘G’ category by misusing his official position. However, Mr. Gowda claimed that the compliant was filed without prior sanction as he was a public servant while also pointing out that a separate panel was set by the High Court itself to look into the issues related to allotment of ‘G’ category sites. The case against Mr. Nirani was that he had illegally ordered denotification of certain lands that were acquired for industrial purposes at Devanahalli and Dobbbespet.