Bangalore: Karnataka High Court on Friday
adjourned to January 10 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 N Ananada adjourned the hearing after complainant
T J Abraham sought time to file objections.
The petition was filed by Krishna on December 9, a day
after Lokayukta Police registered an FIR against him, two
other former chief ministers N Dharam Singh and H D
Kumaraswamy, besides 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 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.
Meanwhile, Lokayukta Special Court granted time till
February 2 to Lokayukta police to submit its probe report on
the complaint.
PTI
