High Court quashes denotification FIR against Shivakumar

The High Court on Friday quashed an FIR whose cognisance was taken by a trial court and the pending proceedings before the Lokayukta special court with regard to denotification of 4.20 acres of land in Benniganahalli in Bengaluru East taluk favouring Energy Minister D K Shivakumar.

Justice Anand Byrareddy allowed the petitions filed by Shivakumar, former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and others, stating that the basis of the case was ill-founded and that the trial court was not justified in taking cognisance of the alleged offences against them.

A man named Kabbale Gowda and activist T J Abraham had filed a complaint in the Lokayukta court about denotification of 4.20 acres of land at Benniganahalli.

Shivakumar bought the land and later got it converted for residential purpose and entered into a joint agreement with real estate builders Puravankara. The land was denotified by then chief minister Yeddyurappa on May 13, 2010.

The Lokayukta police registered a case against Shivakumar and six others under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Karnataka Restriction of Transfer of Land Act, 1991, and the Indian Penal Code. The matter was transferred to the High Court for daily and expeditious hearing.