HC notice to BSY, son in corruption case

The Karnataka high court on Tuesday issued notice to former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, his son and BJP state vice president BY Vijayendra, family members, former minister ST Somashekar and an IAS officer in a case alleging corruption in a housing project

The Karnataka high court on Tuesday issued notice to former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, his son and BJP state vice president BY Vijayendra, family members, former minister ST Somashekar and an IAS officer in a case alleging corruption in a housing project.

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The single bench of Justice S Sunil Dutt Yadav directed issuing notices to them on a petition filed by an activist TJ Abraham, who challenged the special court’s order on July 8 this year.

The special court had dismissed the case for want of sanction to prosecute Yediyurappa and Somashekar. The special court had said that though “there is some material to refer a complaint about the investigation” against Yediyurappa on the allegation of accepting a bribe, it could not order a probe in the absence of sanction for his prosecution as per the law interpreted by the apex court.

A communication from petitioner in the case, TJ Abraham on Tuesday, read: “The Hon’ble Court after hearing the counsels representing Social Activist Abraham TJ … has issued Emergent Notice to be served through Hand Summons to the Accused persons namely BS Yediyurappa, Vijayendra, Shashidhar Maradi, Sanjay Sree, Chandrakanth Ramalingam, ST Somashekhar, GC Prakash (IAS), K Ravi and Virupakshappa Yamakanamaradi. And the matter has been directed to be listed for final hearing during the week after next.”

The case pertains to allegedly receiving kickbacks from a contractor for a housing project of the Bangalore Development Authority. It was alleged in the complaint filed before the special judge that Yediyurappa and his family members had abused CM’s office and bribes were received by the former CM through his family members from the contractors.

The petitioner had accused Yediyurappa of abusing the powers of his office in allotting, speeding, and approving projects and payments. The money thus collected was routed through bogus shell companies to the companies belonging to the family members of the former chief minister, he added.

The matter had also been discussed in the Karnataka assembly when the leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah moved a no-confidence motion and leveled serious allegations. Yediyurappa and his son had rejected the allegation outright, saying that there was no truth in the matter.