Shivaram Karanth Layout: SC to hear case against BSY

The Supreme Court on Monday put up for final hearing on November 14 the plea made by Anti Corruption Bureau, Bengaluru, against stay on investigation launched against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa for dropping acquisition of 257 acres of land from Dr K Shivaramakaranth Layout.

A bench of Justices R Banumathi and Indira Banerjee agreed to a contention made by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the state BJP chief, that the matter would require a detailed hearing.

Senior advocate Abhishek M Singhvi and advocate Joseph Aristotle, representing the ACB, also concurred to the suggestion. They pointed out that contrary to the statutory bar for staying the proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Karnataka High Court passed an order on September 22, 2017, and stayed the investigation in the case.

The court said that since there was a detailed order by the high court, the parties can file a convenience note, highlighting the issues to be considered. It put the matter for consideration on November 14.

In its plea, the ACB claimed Yeddyurappa misused his office as chief minister and passed orders between 2009 and 2010 for dropping of 257 acres of land out of 3,546 acres meant for formation of the layout. He had received monetary consideration from the land owners and caused financial loss to the exchequer, it alleged.

The ACB registered two FIRs in the matter on August 10 and August 17, 2017 on a complaint filed by D Ayappa after conducting preliminary inquiry.

On a writ petition filed by Yeddyurappa, the high court on September 22, 2017 stayed the investigations. The top court had earlier issued notice to Yeddyurappa on a special leave petition by the ACB, Bengaluru.

The top court, in a separate judgement last month, had pulled up the Karnataka government and the Bangalore Development Authority for “creating a mess in the way of planned development of Bengaluru” and directed them not to drop acquisition of about 650 acres of land for Dr K Shivaramakaranth Layout.

It also took a strong exception to alleged “connivance of influential political persons or otherwise” in the move to exclude large tracts of land from acquisition for formation of the layout proposed in 2008.

The court also appointed former Karnataka High Court judge, Justice K N Keshavanarayana, to conduct an inquiry for “fixing responsibility” on the officials of the BDA and the state government.