2006 land denotification case: K’taka HC declines to quash FIR against BSY

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, December 22 dismissed his petition seeking to quash the criminal proceedings pending against him under the Prevention of Corruption of Act.

Justice John Michael Cunha who was hearing the case dismissed the petition and then directed the Lokayukta court to monitor the investigation ordered by the courts in respect of the misconduct of public servants and MPs and MLAs involved in the commission of criminal offenses.

The order further emphasized that the allegation prima facie disclosed cognizance insofar as the petitioner (Yediyurappa) needs to be investigated.

The case relates to Yediyurappa allegedly illegally denotifying several acres of land, acquired for an IT project, in the Varthur-Whitefiled IT corridor when he was Deputy Chief Minister during 2006-07.

The state government had declared the land between Whitefield and Electronic City as IT corridor during 2000-01 for the development of IT and IT-enabled services.

The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) issued notification in respect of around 500 acres, and in the final notification in respect of only 434 acres including the land adjacent to the Ring Road between Sarjapur Road and Marathahalli which includes the villages of Bellandur, Devarabisanahalli, Kadabisanahalli and Kariammana Agrahara.