K'taka: SC refuses to issue notice to CBI on CM

New Delhi, Jan 19: The Supreme Court today refused to issue notice to CBI on a petition seeking CBI inquiry into the allegation of corruption against Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his family members.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice D K Jain, however, permitted the petition of State BJP Leader G Janardan Reddy with the petition which has been referred to a larger Bench for deciding the issue whether the high court has the power to order a CBI inquiry.

Senior Counsel Harish Salve contended before the Bench that the court should at least direct the CBI to examine the paper the petitioner has in his possession, to decide whether a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act is made out against the Chief Minister and his family members. It was also alleged before the court that the contractors of mines have been told to pay Rs 50 per metric tonne to the family members of the Chief Minister otherwise their mines will be closed down.

According to the petitioner, the Chief Minister's brother Balakrishna Gowda, his in-laws Honappa and Jayamma, his wife and their firm BSK Traders have minted crores through corruption. The firm's accounts show transactions worth crores of rupees.

The court, however, was of the view that the petioner should go to the high court first. The previous Bench of the court headed by former Chief Justice Y K Sabarwal had directed the petitioner to withdraw his petition from the high court on which notice had been issued to the CBI by the high court and the petitioner had withdrawn the same.

The state government has appointed the Judicial Commission of inquiry to go into the allegation which, according to the petitioner, was an attempt to put the matter in cold storage.

UNI