SC stays criminal proceedings against former Karnataka Secy in case of irregularities in PWD works

The court provided interim relief to the petitioner and sought a response from the Karnataka govt on his petition challenging validity of the HC's verdict

The Supreme Court has stayed criminal proceedings against then Karnataka government's Secretary K B Devraj who was accused of committing irregularities in sanction and grant of works in PWD department and caused Rs 26.46 crore loss to the Exchequer.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Dinesh Maheshwari and Hrishikesh Roy issued notice to the Karnataka government on his plea to quash the proceedings initiated in 2013 in Ramanagara court on a criminal case registered for offences of cheating, forgery among others under the IPC and other offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements Act,1990.

The court provided interim relief to the petitioner and sought a response from the Karnataka government on his petition challenging validity of the HC's judgement of September 16, 2020, dismissing his plea under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The court recorded submission by his counsel S N Bhat the file had already been cleared by the Karnataka Chief Minister by time the petitioner joined as the Secretary on August 30, 2011, and his role was only to get the decision printed and circulate it to concerned authorities.

It was alleged the petitioner-accused has issued circular of February 25, 2012, releasing grants during his tenure and he was a party to the said circular.