SC asks Karnataka government to move HC for lifting stay on Yeddyurappa probe

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Karnataka government to approach the High Court seeking lifting of stay on investigation into three land-related cases at Bengaluru against former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa.

A bench of justices J Chelameswar and A M Sapre asked the counsel for the state government to influence upon the High Court for vacating the stay on the investigation relating to land de-notification against the BJP leader.

"We will simply adjourn it today and see what happens there", the bench said. The High Court is likely to hear the cases on December 1.

The cases involved de-notification of land acquired by Bangalore Development Authority for formation of Banashankari V stage, BTM IV stage and for extending Mahalakshmi Layout. The BJP leader came under the scanner after the Lokayukta registered three FIRs against him and some others in June 2015 for charges of corruption and various offences under Karnataka Land (Restriction on Transfer) Act.

In three separate special leave petitions before the apex court, the state contended that the High Court ought not to have stayed the investigation into the complaints made before Lokayukta on the basis of the Comptroller and Auditor General report, highlighting "misuse of authority with a corrupt motive thereby causing heavy loss to the state exchequer". The state has sought a direction for setting aside of the September 15 order of the High Court, saying it had "virtually stalled the entire investigation" while acting on a plea by Yeddyurappa.