New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday posted to
April 24 disposal of an appeal filed by External Affairs
Minister S M Krishna challenging the Lokayukta police probe
into a case of his alleged involvement in illegal mining
during his tenure as chief minister of Karnataka.
The bench of justices Altamas Kabir and S S Nijjar 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 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 Lokayukta police and the complainant,
on whose plea the FIR was registered, also said, "We are all
anxious that truth should come out."
The proceedings by a Special Lokayukta Court was
initiated on December 8 last on a private complaint by social
activist T J Abraham against him and two other former chief
ministers H D Kumaraswamy and N Dharam Singh seeking action
against them for allegedly facilitating illegal mining in the
mineral rich state.
Krishna had filed the appeal seeking quashing of the
complaint and the probe by the Lokayukta police against him
over alleged illegal mining when he was chief minister from
1999 to 2004.
He had challenged the January 20 decision of the high
court by which his plea for quashing the private complaint and
proceedings ordered by the Lokayukta special court against him
was rejected.
Krishna`s counsel and advocate K K Venugopal had
contended the Cabinet decision was a collective one taken by
34 ministers and an individual cannot be held responsible for
it.
The high court had ordered that investigation should
continue into offences relating to dereservation of forest
area in mineral-rich fragile zones.
Krishna, however, had got some relief from the high court
when it quashed the charges of mismanagement of state-owned
Mysore Minerals Limited by him on the ground that "it does not
constitute any cognisable offence and do not call for
investigation".
The proceedings by a Lokayukta special court was
initiated on December 8 on the private complaint.
PTI
