New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday extended its stay on a probe by the Lokayukta police into a case of illegal mining allegedly involving External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and granted four weeks to Karnataka government to file its response on the issue.
A bench of justices Altamas Kabir and S S Nijjar passed the direction after the state government sought four weeks time to file its reply on Krishna`s petition challenging the FIR registered against him in the case of alleged illegal mining, dating back to his tenure as Karnataka chief minister.
The apex court had on January 27 stayed the proceedings on the FIR against Krishna on his plea, observing that the case "was too premature."
"We are inclined to stay the proceedings. Accordingly, the proceedings arising out of the FIR on the issue ordered by the Karnataka Lokayukta will remain stayed," the apex court had said earlier on Krishna`s plea, challenging the January 20 order of the Karnataka High Court refusing to give him the relief.
The bench had said the probe ordered by the Lokayukta court was "premature" as the proceedings before the ombudsman was "incomplete" on account of the failure of the submission of the supplementary report.
The bench, which had issued a notice and sought response within three weeks from Karnataka government and the complainant, on whose plea the FIR was registered, also said "we are all anxious that truth should come out".
PTI
