HC quashes proceedings against Kumaraswamy

The Karnataka high court today quashed criminal proceedings initiated against former chief minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy, his wife and some of his family members in a lower court for alleged irregularities in favouring a mining firm and a housing cooperative society.

The Karnataka high court on Friday quashed criminal proceedings initiated against former chief minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy, his wife and some of his family members in a lower court for alleged irregularities in favouring a mining firm and a housing cooperative society.

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Passing the order, justice V Jagannathan slapped a Rs one lakh fine on the petitioner for wasting the court's time.

Advocate Vinod Kumar had on August 8 filed a complaint in the Lokayukta court, which had issued summons to Kumaraswamy and his wife, Anita, JDS MLA.

Kumar had alleged that Kumaraswamy, a Lok Sabha member, during his tenure as chief minister, had ordered bulk allotment of land to a private housing cooperative society and also recommended renewal of mining licence of a firm.

The court upheld the contention of Kumaraswamy, who had challenged the lower court proceedings on the ground that the petitioner had not secured sanction from the Lok Sabha speaker to prosecute him, a step which is mandatory, and not furnished proof on his allegations.

The high court had granted anticipatory bail last month to Kumaraswamy and Anita, after which they appeared before the lower court on September 9.