Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday
adjourned to Thursday hearing on External Affairs Minister S M
Krishna`s petition seeking quashing of the private complaint
accusing him of facilitating illegal mining during his tenure
as state Chief Minister.
Justice B V Pinto adjourned the hearing after Krishna`s
counsel Sandeep Patil sought time for the appearance of senior
counsel Uday Lalit.
The petition was filed by Krishna on December 9, a day
after Lokayukta Police registered an FIR against him and also
two other former Chief Ministers N Dharam Singh and H D
Kumaraswamy and 11 officials.
Krishna also sought quashing of the FIR filed by
Lokayukta police and a stay on the proceedings before the
Lokayukta court, contending "no offence" had been made out
against him in the complaint.
In his petition, Krishna had submitted he had not
committed "any illegality or irregularity" in the mining
sector.
The FIR was filed against Krishna under various sections
of Prevention of Corruption Act, Forest Conservation Act,
Forest Act and Minerals and Metals Regulation and Development
Act, following the December 3 directive by Lokayukta Judge N K
Sudhindra Rao on a private complaint.
Social activist and businessman T J Abraham had submitted
that his complaint was based on the report on illegal mining
presented to the government by then Lokayukta Santosh Hegde in
August.
PTI
