JOIN USThe High Court of Karnataka on Monday stayed construction activities of Matha Amruthanandamayi Ashram on the land granted to it by the State government.
The Ashram was granted 154.24 acres at Kaniminike village in Kengeri hobli on May 8, 2012. V G Govindaraju had challenged the grant in the Court. The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and B V Nagarathna, during the hearing of the petition on Monday, granted a stay.
Advance bail
The High Court has granted anticipatory bail to three contractors — Kemparaju, Shankar and Nanjaiah — believed to be involved in the multi-crore scam in Public Works Department.
Justice Anand Byra Reddy granted them conditional bail, observing that since the amount of misappropriation fixed on each contractor was less than the bill amount due to him, the government was secured and indemnified.
“The dispute due to work being contractual in nature, no criminal culpability can be alleged, (hence) the petitioners are entitled to bail,” the court observed. The petitioners have to furnish personal bond for Rs five lakh along with a surety for the like sum. The PWD had issued works through manual tender by splitting the work below Rs 20 lakh. It was alleged that the officers split the works to below Rs 20 lakh to favour the contractors.