Ex-K'taka CM Yediyurappa gets bail in de-notification case

A special court on Saturday granted bail to former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in the Bellandur de-notification case.

Yediyurappa had appeared before the court in Bengaluru on Friday regarding the case. His counsel had moved a petition seeking bail for the BJP strongman.

The court had directed the prosecution to submit objections.

The petition against Yediyurappa was filed by Vasudeva Reddy, a resident of Bengaluru, in 2013.

He had alleged that Yediyurappa during his tenure as the Deputy Chief Minister, had de-notified 4.30 acres of land which was acquired for IT Park by the Karnataka Area Industrial Development Board (KIADB).

Earlier, the Special Court in Bengaluru had ordered the registration of a criminal case against the BJP strongman in March.

The Special Judge B. Jayantha Kumar had issued summons regarding the case lodged against him in 2013.

The judge had stated that there was sufficient material to register a special criminal case against the accused.

The court observed that the complainant had made a prima facie case against the accused. The notification has been done despite the opinion of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) CEO, the law department, the Advocate General and the Additional Secretary (Mines) not to de-notify the land, the court had observed.

"It can't be said that Yediyurappa has done the de-notification in exercise of his lawful powers," the court said.

His bail comes as a big relief in the wake of the 2023 Assembly elections.

Yediyurappa is throwing his weight behind his son Vijayendra and trying hard to secure a position in the party.

After the denial of ticket to Vijayendra for the MLC elections, Yediyurappa had announced that his son would contest elections.