Orders reserved on pre-arrest bail pleas of Yeddyurappa, kin

A court here today reserved orders on the anticipatory bail applications of former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and his family members apprehending arrest in the illegal mining case registered by the CBI against them.

CBI judge D R Venkat Sudarshan reserved orders on the pleas of Yeddyurappa, his sons B Y Raghavendra and B Y Vijendra and son-in-law R N Sohan Kumar after conclusion of arguments by CBI counsel Ashok Bhan and senior counsel Ashok Haranahally for the former chief minister.

The CBI has registered an FIR against Yeddyurappa and others after the Supreme Court on May 11 directed it to probe charges of granting undue favours to firms involved in illegal mining in lieu of donations to a charitable trust run by his kin.

Subsequently, the CBI held raids at the residential and other premises of Yeddyurappa and others.

Bhan, quoting case diaries placed before the court, submitted Rs 20 crore was transferred by Jindal Steel Works (JSW) to Prerana Educational and Social Trust, run by Yeddyurappa's sons.

This was subsequently transferred to Vivekananda Trust, of which Yeddyurappa is a trustee.

The CBI, he said, was probing charges of conspiracy cheating, corruption and violation of Karnataka Land (Restriction on Transfer)Act, 1991, registered against Yeddyurappa, his sons, son-in-law, JSW and others on a directive by the Supreme Court.

Bhan further submitted that after Yeddyurappa demitted office as Chief Minister and prior to his tenure, no contribution was made to the Prerana Trust.

"The donations are quid pro quo for Jindal," he submitted.