HC refuses to drop minister's name from charge sheet

Justice Subhash B Adi hearing a petition by the minister, observed that charges levelled were serious and hence it was not possible to drop the name without hearing the objections. Sudhakar had claimed that there is no basis for the allegations and that the charge sheet had been filed without any evidence. The Court has directed the CBI to produce all the documents relating to the case.

The charge sheet filed by the CBI accuses Sudhakar, as partner of Trishul Enterprises and Director of Seven Hills Properties Limited and three others of knowingly using the forged documents, with the help of the then chief manager of the State Bank of Mysore, MTV Reddy, in Bangalore, and cheating the bank to the tune of Rs 5.50 crore by getting sanctioned 76 housing loans to “non-existing employees” of reputed organisations in Karnataka.

The matter has been posted to Sep 2 on which day the court will examine the details of a similar case, involving former Minister Krishnaiah Setty. The High Court has granted a stay in Setty’s case and it will verify whether the grounds on which the stay has been granted are applicable to Sudhakar’s case.

‘Political conspiracy’

Meanwhile, Sudhakar on Friday ruled out tendering his resignation claiming that he was innocent and a victim of ‘political conspiracy’.

The minister's stand comes close on the heels of a majority opinion at a BJP office-bearers' meeting held on Wednesday that Sudhakar and Housing Minister V Somanna should submit resignation on moral grounds.

However, Sudhakar told reporters that he is yet to receive a copy of the charge sheet from the CBI or summons from the court. He said he has not spoken to the chief minister on the issue and there had been no directions from the CM for him to resign. He said it was the responsibility of the bank to ascertain the veracity of the loan documents. He said the bank had given him a no due certificate in July, 2008, and he had no role in the borrowings.

BJP’s stance

Meanwhile, speaking to media persons in Lakkavalli, Chikmagalur district, BJP State president D V Sadananda Gowda said a decision on continuation or dropping of two ministers would be taken in the next three days.