KIADB scam: Kattas can file fresh petition in High Court

The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday dismissed a petition filed by former minister Katta Subramanya Naidu and his son Katta Jagadish as “withdrawn.”

The father and son had approached the Court seeking to quash the proceedings against them in the Lokayukta court in the matter related to the scam in Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board.

During the hearing, even as the counsel for the Lokayukta police was about make his submission, the advocate for the Kattas requested the Court to allow him to withdraw the petition with a liberty to file fresh petition. Justice A C Pacchapure dismissed the petition with a liberty to file a fresh one.

The Kattas in their petition had claimed that the Lokayukta Act authorises the police officers only to conduct search or inspection while in their case the officer registered a suo motu case under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

He also said that the complainant himself cannot be an investigating officer or vice-versa.

Judge recuses

High Court judge Justice Abdul Nazeer has recused from hearing a petition challenging the functioning of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission and the Chairperson Anwar Manippady, even after completion of his term.

Petitioner Mohammed Wazir Baig, had moved the High Court against the functioning of the Commission, contending that Manippady was misusing his office and continuing in the post, even after his term got over in February 2012. When the matter came up for hearing, Justice Nazeer recused from hearing the matter and directed the registry to post the matter before some other bench.

The High Court has granted conditional bail to Subramanya Udupa, one of the accused in murder of Vasudeva Adiga, an RTI activist from Udupi. Former Advocate General B V Acharya, who appeared for Udupa claimed that the accused was not directly involved in the crime and has been arrested only because he happened to be the relative of Adiga. The Court directed the accused to furnish a bond for Rs two lakh.

Adiga was kidnapped from his residence at Kokkanabail in Udupi district on January 7 and his body was found in a lake at Yemmedoddy village of Kadur taluk in Chikmagalur district on January 12.