MML case: SIT told not to arrest IAS officer Jain till July 6

In a temporary relief to senior IAS officer Mahendra Jain, the High Court of Karnataka on Friday directed Lokayukta’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) not to arrest him till July 6.

Jain, who is currently additional chief secretary (Urban Development Department) is accused of irregularities during his tenure as managing director of Mysore Minerals Limited (MML).

Hearing an anticipatory bail application, Justice Rathnakala directed the SIT not to precipitate the matter till the next hearing and directed Jain to cooperate with the investigation. The judge also directed the IAS officer not to leave Bengaluru city till the disposal of the application. Jain has moved the court seeking anticipatory bail in MML case wherein he is accused of causing loss to the company to the tune of Rs 300 crore during 2007-2008. The Special Court of the Lokayukta had recently rejected anticipatory bail to Jain in the matter.

Jain, in his defence, has argued that when the matter of loss to the exchequer was referred to the then Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde, he had given a report stating the there was no material to show that Jain was an accused.  Subsequently, when MML itself conducted an enquiry into the allegations, it had declared that there was no loss to the company.

Later, a complaint was registered accusing Jain of causing a loss of Rs 43 crore to MML. Jain, in his petition, has contended that when another accused in the case, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy has been granted anticipatory bail, he too is entitled for the same. The SIT will be filing its statement of objection during the next hearing on July 6.