Following a petition by Sampangi, seeking that Special Lokayukta Judge K N Sudhindra Rao - who is hearing the matter - be changed, Justice B V Pinto stayed the proceedings against him.

Sampangi, pointing out the cancellation of his bail by the Special Lokayukta Court, stated that a bail granted cannot be cancelled even for a limited period.

The counsel for the petitioner, K Raghupathi, submitted that there was no provision in the law for cancellation of bail and the action of the Special Judge had given rise to several suspicions. He requested that the judge be changed on the grounds that there will not be a fair trial.

Affidavit filed
Meanwhile, an affidavit was filed before the Court by two individuals B M Ramachandra, a farmer and DSS worker and A L Amarendra Mouni, a PWD contractor, who have stated that N K Badrinath - brother of Judge Sudhindra Rao - has been claiming he played a crucial role in the cancellation of Sampangi’s bail.

It may be recalled that Sampangi’s bail was cancelled in October 28, 2011 after the whistle blower, Hussain Moin Farooq, sought cancellation of his bail alleging threats to his life.

Security extended
The High Court on Thursday extended the security given to Hussain Moin Farooq - the complainant and prime witness in the Sampangi  bribery case - by four weeks.

Justice B S Patil, who heard the petition by Farooq seeking extension of security, allowed the latter’s petition for four weeks.

Farooq, in his petition, had stated that since the High Court had stayed the proceedings against Sampangi on Thursday, there was more threat to his life.

The police said that since he had deposed before the Court and his evidence had been submitted, there was no threat to his life now.  However, the petitioner contended that after this, the threat to his life had increased.