BANGALORE, May 29: The CBI special court here today adjourned for further hearing to June 1, the anticipatory bail plea filed by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who is accused of receiving kickback by mining companies in return of official favours when he was in power.
The BJP leader had applied for anticipatory bail after a CBI probe was ordered by the Supreme Court over allegation by an NGO that Mr Yeddyurappa had given undue favours to mining companies which in turn expressed ‘gratitude’ by making huge donations to trusts run by his family.
The case was filed by an NGO which got the Supreme Court’s nod for a CBI probe into some of the dealings of Mr Yeddyurappa when he was the Chief Minister during 2008-11.
The CBI had conducted multiple raids at residences and offices of Mr Yeddyurappa and his kin in the city and elsewhere in the state. The CBI has to submit its report to the Supreme Court by August first week and might arrest Mr Yeddyurappa for questioning.
This had led to the BJP leader apply for anticipatory bail.
Today, the special court judge Venkat Sundaram accepted the objection filed by Mr Yeddyurappa’s advocate seeking exemption from being personally present in the court.
The court was apparently not much concerned about the personal appearance but the judge said the arguments on the interim bail should continue.
At this juncture Mr Yeddyurappa’s counsel appealed for time to place his arguments and the judge adjourned further hearing of the case to June 1.
Earlier, the CBI had opposed Mr Yeddyurappa’s bail, claiming that it would hamper its ongoing investigations.
Apart from Mr Yeddyurappa, his two sons – BY Raghavendra, who is the BJP MP from Shimoga, and BY Vijayendra – and his son-in-law, Sohan Kumar are the main accused in the case filed by Samaja Parivartana Samudaya, a Hubli-based NGO. All of them have sought anticipatory bail.
The CBI has booked the former Chief Minister for criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.
The petitioner had accused Mr Yeddyurappa’s sons and son-in-law of securing de-notification of 1.2 acres in Rachenahalli when Yedduyurappa was chief minister for a meager sum of Rs 40 lakh and later sold it to a mining firm for whopping Rs 20 crore.
The mining firms have also allegedly donated Rs ten crore a trust owned by Mr Yeddyurappa family members. Cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Karnataka Restriction of Land Transfer Act have been filed against them.(UNI)
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