Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Jagadish Shettar who was to appear in the Special Lokayukta court on Thursday to record evidence in the case against BJP MLA Y Sampangi, skipped the hearing as he had to attend the ongoing Legislature session.
Shettar, in his capacity as Speaker, had accorded permission for Sampangi to be prosecuted in August 2009 after he was caught by the Lokayukta police while allegedly accepting bribe.
Shettar had earlier sought more time from the court to give evidence, stating that he had to access the records from the Speaker’s office. Shettar submitted that he had sought the Advocate General’s opinion before he gave permission, but he was no longer the Speaker and hence had no access to the records.
The matter has been adjourned to March 13.
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