High court stays probe against Yeddyurappa

BENGALURU: The Karnataka high court on Friday ordered an interim stay on investigations against BJP state president, BS Yeddyurappa, in connection with an audio clip released earlier this month.

Yeddyurappa, a former chief minister, was purportedly recorded trying to entice a Janata Dal (Secular) MLA’S son at a government guest house in Devdurga in Raichur on February 8. Chief minister HD Kumaraswamy released the clip claiming it was proof of the BJP’S attempts to topple the Jd(s)-congress government in the state.

An FIR was lodged on February 13 based on a complaint by JD(S) MLA Nagangouda Kandkur’s son Sharanagouda that Yeddyurappa allegedly offered him ₹10 crore to get his father to resign from the assembly. On Friday, justice PGM Patil of the Kalaburagi bench of the high court ordered the interim stay on a petition by Yeddyurappa challenging the FIR. Yeddyurappa’s lawyer Sanjay Kulkarni said no further development could take place in the case. “We had sought quashing of the FIR against Yeddyurappa. In the interim prayer, we sought a stay on any proceedings based on the FIR. This was granted by the judge,” he said.

Kulkarni said Yeddyurappa had sought quashing of the FIR as Kumaraswamy had admitted in public that he asked Sharanagouda to attend the meeting and record it, a claim the CM has denied previously. Additionally, Kulkarni said, sections of the PCA had been invoked incorrectly. “Even if we are to assume that Yeddyurappa offered to pay Rs 10 crore to Sharangouda, in the clip it is said to be towards election expenses. This can’t be considered a bribe, and even on this ground we have sought for the FIR to be quashed,” he said.