Bengaluru: State BJP chief, B S Yeddyurappa can breathe easy for the time being with the high court passing an interim order on Friday temporarily staying police investigation into the case registered against him for allegedly attempting to bribe a JDS) MLA.
The BJP leader is in the dock over an audio tape released by Chief Minister H D Kumara—swamy, which allegedly features him asking Gurmitkal MLA, Nagangouda Kandakur’s son, Sharangouda to persuade his father to defect to his party.
After the government ordered an inquiry by a Special Investigation into the matter, Mr Sharangouda Kandakur filed a case against Mr Yeddyurappa, Devadurga MLA, Shivangouda Naik, Hassan MLA, Preethan—gowda and media advisor to Mr Yeddyurappa, M B Maramkal, claiming they had offered him Rs 10 crore towards “election expenses” in return for ensuring the defection of his father to the BJP.
Mr Yeddyurappa resp—onded by filing a petition before the high court on Tuesday for quashing the case registered against him and three others.
Justice P G M Patil, who heard the petition on Wednesday, in an interim order on Friday stayed further proceedings in the case till he gave his final orders. The court also issued a notice to Mr Sharangouda asking him to appear before it.
Senior Counsel, C V Nagesh, appearing for Mr Yeddyurappa, claimed the charges against him were false and politically motivated. Mr Yeddyurappa said he was happy with the court’s decision. “ I always had faith in God and the courts and believed that justice would prevail and now it has. Some people filed the case against me out of vindictive politics. Now I can freely focus on the Lok Sabha elections.”
