Government must appeal against BS Yeddyurappa acquittal: Santosh Hegde

Hubballi: Responding with surprise to state BJP chief, B S Yeddyurappa’s acquittal by the courts in various cases against him, former Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde suggested on Tuesday that the state government should appeal against the verdict.

“I don’t want to criticise the decision of the court to acquit Yeddyurappa. But I cannot understand why it has allowed him to go scot-free despite the evidence against him. I am also surprised why the government has not challenged the verdict so far,” he added, contending that if it did not file a review petition , it would only show that CM Siddaramaiah and the BJP leader had joined hands in “corruption.” Speaking to reporters here, he , however, hoped that differences between both parties ahead of the elections would prompt the government to go an appeal against the verdict.

As for the FIR filed against Minister K J George by CBI and his reluctance to resign from the Cabinet despite it , he said this indicated that moral values in politics were eroding even further.

Later, speaking at an event, he said, “I was like a frog in a well before becoming Lokayukta. I realised the injustice caused to the people by the government only after occupying that post. Corruption has been posing a threat to our growth. I tried my level best to rectify these problems during my tenure.”