High Court questions SPS about source of documents

The High Court on Tuesday directed S R Hiremath, president of Samaja Parivarthana Samudaya (SPS) to explain how he was able to produce certain documents and the source from where he got those documents. 

While hearing the matter on initiating contempt proceeding against Hiremath and the editor of a Kannada daily, Justice Ram Mohan Reddy played the video footage of the press conference held by Hiremath in Dharwad. Hiremath, in the said press meet, had stated that a sitting judge of the High Court and the government counsels were 'hand in glove' with the builders and was delaying the court proceedings.

Hiremath’s counsel, however,limited his submission by stating that he got the details from those persons who had access to the documents in the Revenue department, but refused to divulge any further details about the source. 

The bench also recorded additional affidavit submitted by the editor of a regional Kannada daily which tendered unconditional apology and agreed to publish an apology in their newspaper.  The Kannada daily had carried details about Hiremath's press conference.
The petition is about Prestige Estates Projects Limited, which had questioned the cancellation of allotment of the 3.23 acres in Patanduru Agrahara village near Whitefield which was sold to them by Joy Ice Cream. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board had allotted the said land to Joy Ice Cream.

The SPS had impleaded itself in the petition stating that the land is a gomala land and should not be allotted to any private party. 

The bench also ordered notice to the editor of another Kannada daily and to explain their absence in the court and adjourned the next hearing to November 26.