JOIN USHearing a petition by Gowda, seeking that the proceedings against him in the Special Lokayukta Court be quashed, Justice B V Pinto granted an interim stay for eight weeks, observed that the complaint was politically motivated with malafide intentions and ordered a stay on the Lokayukta proceedings for eight weeks.
The petitioner S N Balakrishna had alleged that Gowda was facing charges of possessing wealth worth Rs 582 crore, while he had declared assets worth Rs 70 crore, when he took voluntary retirement from service.
The complainant, a retired assistant manager of the State-run Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Limited, had in his September 22 complaint alleged that Gowda had purchased immovable properties in his name and also in the names of his relatives between 2005 and 2007, after his retirement from government service and sought action under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Uday Holla, former Advocate General and senior counsel, appearing for Gowda, submitted that the complainant was an RSS worker and had served as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa from March 29, 2011 to September 19, 2011. After he was relieved of his duties as OSD, he filed the complaint against Gowda with “malafide intention”.