FIR against BSY in Bhadra case

BANGALORE: The Lokayukta police filed a first information report (FIR) against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday following the Lokayukta Special Court’s direction. This is the first time the Lokayukta police are registering a criminal case against a former CM.Lokayukta Justice Shivaraj Patil told reporters that the Lokayukta police have registered a case against Yeddyurappa following the court direction under Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) Section 156(3). “I cannot comment on the investigation part now. The Superintendent of Police, Lokayukta Bangalore, and his team would investigate the case accordingly,” he added.“Law is equal to every citizen and the police will act according to the law. A decision to arrest the accused, Yeddyurappa, or not is yet to be taken as we are looking into all angles of law,” Justice Patil said.The FIR is booked under Section 13 (1)(d) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act). Originally, a private complaint (PCR) was registered in the Lokayukta Court by JD(S) leader Y S V  Datta, who alleged that Dhavalagiri Properties, a firm owned by Yeddyurappa’s sons B Y Raghavendra and B Y Vijayendra, and son-in-law, received kickbacks of `13 crore from a firm that was given work contract in the Upper Bhadra project.The court now has directed the Lokayukta police to investigate.Jeevan Kumar V Gaonkar, ADGP (Lokayukta), told The New Indian Express that the FIR is registered under two Sections of PC Act. During the process of investigation, the police may include other names or add Indian Penal Code Sections if needed. He also said there was no need to arrest the accused immediately. “But if the accused does not cooperate in the probe, he may be arrested. The chargesheet will be submitted to the court after investigation and the question of arrest arises if the court passes orders,” he added.