Bangalore, Aug 3: In fresh trouble for B S Yeddyurappa, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj today gave sanction to Lokayukta police to initiate criminal proceedings against him over the report on illegal mining. Bhardwaj accepted the findings and recommendation of the Lokayukta in Chapter 22 of the report for initiating criminal proceedings against Yeddyurappa, a Raj Bhavan communique said.
The Governor's sanction came a week after the Lokayukta sent a copy of the report to Bhardwaj. It said the Governor, the competent authority under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, took the decision after having carefully examined the report, along with relevant annexures, with reference to provisions of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, 1994 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. He also noted that Lokayukta may take further necessary action through Lokayukta police. “The decision of the Competent Authority has been forwarded to the Registrar, Karnataka Lokayukta for placing it before Lokayukta of Karnataka”, the communique said.
“I am the only competent authority to accept the Lokayukta report. I have read the report, accepted the report and returned the papers to the Lokayukta office to proceed with further action,” Bhardwaj later told PTI on the sidelines of swearing in function of the new Lokayukta. Further action, he said, means investigation by Lokayukta police into the charges against those indicted in the report including Yeddyurappa.
“So as per the law, Lokyukta police will have to conduct the investigation. This (investigation) will have to be done and the report submitted to Governor through the Lokayukta. Only after that the question of prosecution arises. There is no need for any special permission from my side to prosecute Yeddyurappa at this stage, this juncture,” Bhardwaj said.
“After investigation by Lokayukta police, it will come back to me for further action. Naturally the question of permission for prosecution does not arise at present, without proper investigation by Lokayukta police,” he said.
“It now depends upon new Lokayukta Shivaraj Patil to conduct the police investigation and how soon he does it,” the Governor said. PTI
