Bangalore, Aug 2: The hurt BS Yeddyurappa who had to let go off his Chief Ministerial post after the damaging Lokayukta report indicted him for illegal mining is now all set for a legal battle to counter the various allegations in his name.
Yeddyurappa has decided to move the High Court contesting Karnataka Lokayukta Chief Santosh Hegde’s recommendation to prosecute him on graft charges. He has also moved the ombudsman seeking the review the recommendation. The court will hear the petition on Wednesday. The petition to review the recommendation will however have to be heard by Hegde’s successor Shivaraj Patil who will assume office on Wednesday following Hegde’s retirement on the same day.
Yeddyurappa’s political secretary B.J. Puttaswamy has been quoted as saying, “Hegde told us that since his term ends today (Tuesday) he will leave a note to the successor to consider the petition.” Both the petitions state that the Lokayukta had gone beyond the terms of reference to probe illegal mining.
Puttaswamy commented that Yeddyurappa was not given an opportunity to explain his stand and that trying him for graft charges and recommending him for prosecution was against principles of natural justice.
The Lokayukta report had found that Prerana Education and Social Trust run by Yeddyurappa’s two sons had received donation of Rs.10 crore from a mining company. There were also reports that a mining company had paid a bribe of Rs 20 crore.
