Withdraw petition from HC: SC asks K'taka MLC

New Delhi, Dec 11: The Supreme Court today asked a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council (MLC) to withdraw his writ petition pending in the Karnataka High Court, seeking a CBI inquiry into the assets allegedly acquired by Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and others.

Karnataka MLC G Janardhan Reddy had, earlier, filed a petition against the assets held by the Chief Minister, State Home Minister M P Prakash and State Forest Minister Chennigappa.

According to the petitioner, the respondent have taken crores of rupees as bribes from the minning contractors in the state to permit them to carry on their minning activities.

The petitioner, Janardhan Reddy who claimed to be an educationist, philanthropist and the editor of a popular kannada daily ''E Namma Kannada Nadu'' had also alleged that the ministers have been misusing their power as they were extending threats of closing down the minning activities in case the mine owners were not ready to cough up the demanded sum of money.

Senior counsel Harish Salve appearing on behalf of the petitioner assured the court that he would withdraw his petition pending in the High Court by tomorrow.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice C K Thakker directed the petitioner to mention the matter for getting the date of hearing in the apex court after withdrawal of the writ petition from the High Court.

Other respondents in the petition include the Union of India, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and State of Karnataka.

UNI