Last week, a special court for cases of elected representatives rejected a plea to probe allegations of corruption against Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, among eight others. Despite this, the veteran leader BSY may not be completely out of the woods so far as investigations into allegations of graft are concerned.

A private complaint by an activist, T J Abraham had asked for investigation of alleged corruption and money laundering by Yediyurappa and eight others. It was rejected on the grounds that a sanction for investigating the CM was denied on June 23 by then Governor Vajubhai Vala.

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Apart from rejecting the case, the special court on July 08 had indicated that there is some substance in the complaint that merits an investigation. The court had said that the complaint was being rejected on account of denial of a sanction for probe by Vala.

Governor Vala, who rejected the sanction to prosecute Yediyurappa on June 23, has been replaced by former Union Minister Thawarchand Gehlot. With Gehlot as the Governor, there is an apprehension in the Yediyurappa camp. The apprehension is regarding a fresh proposal for prosecuting the CM being sent to the new Governor on grounds that more material has emerged to warrant an investigation.

Apart from this, on Sunday, opposition-party Congress brought forth another allegation. Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao addressed the media in New Delhi. He alleged that appointment of a chairman of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) in December 2019 was done allegedly on payment of a bribe amounting to Rs 9.5 crore to people close to Yediyurappa.

Congress’s allegation was made on the basis of former KSPCB chairman Sudhindra Rao’s claims to a private television channel. The recording was aired by Power TV channel last week. Gundu Rao said, “The latest in the series of allegations is by a qualified senior engineer who has suffered at the hands of relatives of (the) CM.”

Sources in the Karnataka government stated that based on allegations about bribery in the appointment, an activist has written to the Chief Justice of India and the Governor, seeking an investigation. A source in the government said, “It is a matter of concern for the CM, as allegations are being levelled from many quarters. There seems to be an effort to put him in an untenable position.”

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While rejecting the complaint by activist Abraham on July 8, the special court had observed, “No doubt there are some materials to refer the complaint for investigation under Sec. 156 (3) of CrPC. But before proceeding to refer the complaint for investigation, this court has to examine the law laid down by the Hon’ble Apex Court with regard to the requirement of sanction.”

Abraham’s complaint was based on allegations of bribery and money laundering. Last year, these allegations appeared in the media against Yediyurappa and others over clearances given for implementation of a housing project by a private firm, Ramalingam Construction Company Limited. The allegations were also about alleged promises of awarding other contracts to the firm by people close to the CM.

The accusations relate to alleged bribes amounting to over Rs 12 crore for contracts. The contracts include Rs 5 crore allegedly received last year by companies linked to a grandson of the CM from multiple Kolkata shell companies. The private complaint named a state minister, an IAS officer, and several of his close relatives, besides (BSY) Yediyurappa.

BS Yediyurappa, 78, has over the last many months managed to checkmate his rivals in BJP. These rivals are said to be in favour of replacing him as CM, on account of his age. The latest deadline put out by BSY’s rivals in the party for his exit as CM is between August 15 and the Dussehra festival in October.