HC disposes of anticipatory bail petition by BSY

The Karnataka High Court today disposed of a criminal petition seeking anticipatory bail filed by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa in connection with a private complaint against him and others,alleging illegal denotification of government land near Devanahalli and Dobbaspet.

Justice H N Nagamohan Das disposed of the petition after Lokayukta police probing the case submitted there was no need to arrest him as the chargesheet had already been filed.

On Oct 24 2011, the Lokayukta court had ordered a probe by Lokyukta police into the complaint against Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani and others, including Yeddyurappa, the then Chief Minister, alleging illegal denotification of government land for pecuniary gain.

Admitting the complaint filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act by city-based entrepreneur Alam Pasha,Lokayukta Court judge Justice N K Sudhindra Rao directed Superintendent of Police, Lokayukta (Bangalore Urban) to investigate the charges levelled in the complaint and report it.

The complaint charged Nirani and eight others,including his family members, with "misusing his position as Industries minister" and floating a number of non-existent companies and illegally denotifying Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board land in Devanahalli and
Dobbaspet to them for "pecuniary gain", causing over Rs 130 crore loss to the state exchequer.

A chargesheet was filed in this connection in May this year.