HDK couple's anticipatory bail plea adjourned for Wednesday

Bangalore, Sep 6: Karnataka High Court today (Sep 6) adjourned to tomorrow petitions filed by former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his MLA-wife Anita seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the summons issued against them by Special Lokayukta court in two alleged corruption cases.

Judge L Narayana Swamy issued notice to Lokayukta police on the petitions.

"I can't pass any order without hearing the prosecution", the Judge responded as the counsel for the couple submitted that there is a likelihood of Kumaraswamy, a Lok Sabha member and JDS state unit President, being issued arrest warrant when he appears before the Special Lokayukta Court tomorrow.

"I will hear this (the petitions) at 10.30 on Wednesday morning," the Judge said.

A private complaint had accused Kumaraswamy of corruption charges in bulk allotment to a housing society and granting permission to a mining company during his tenure as Chief Minister. The Special Lokayukta Court had last week refused to grant the couple anticipatory bail.

The Special Lokayukta Court Judge N K Sudhindra Rao yesterday ordered that the couple must be present during the next hearing tomorrow. They had given exemption from personal appearance during the last hearing on August 30 on health grounds.

The couple skipped the court again on Monday with their counsel citing the same reasons, and the Judge again granted the exemption petition but said they must be appear without fail.

PTI