Lokayukta police register case against Yediyurappa, family in corruption case

Lokayukta police have filed a case against former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa, his family and at least two government officials in a corruption case, days after the high court gave permission for the same.

The case was registered on Friday and the FIR (first information report) was filed under sections of the prevention of corruption act and Indian penal code, PTI reported.

“Today, the learned special court established to try offences against MPs/MLAs has passed an order for investigation U/S 156(3) Cr.Pc. PCR No.40/2021, mandating Lokayukta police to file the FIR...,” according to a statement by TJ Abraham, an activist and the complainant, HT reported on September 14.

The case pertains to awarding tender for the construction of BDA apartments at Konadasapura in Bidarahalli in the city, PTI reported, adding that the accused had allegedly taken kickbacks from a builder that was routed through at least seven shell companies located in Kolkata which are owned by the former chief minister’s family.

The case in question is of a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) tender called in 2017 which was originally for ₹567 crore in various developmental projects. Abraham said the contractor, however, gave a quote of ₹675 crore which was higher than the actual estimate which the officials brought down to ₹666.22 crore to make it appear as though there was a negotiation.

Then the former CM’s son BY Vijayendra sought ₹12 crore in kickbacks in multiple instalments which were communicated through Whatsapp which have since been submitted to the court as evidence.

He added that over ₹5.1 crore was laundered through seven shell companies who operate from the same building in Kolkata.

The case of corruption was levelled against Yediyurappa, Vijayendra, Shashidhar Maradi (grandson), Sanjay Shree (son-in-law of Yediyurappa’s daughter Padmavathi), Chandrakantha Ramalingam (BDA contractor), ST Somashekar (incumbent cooperation minister and former BDA Chairman), GC Prakash (former BDA Commissioner), K Ravi (proprietor 37th Crescent Hotel), Virupakshappa Yamakanamaradi (Yediyurappa’s son-in-law) under relevant sections of the prevention of corruption act and the Indian penal code, Abraham said.

The developments come at a time when the number of corruption allegations against the Basavaraj Bommai and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has increased in recent times. With barely a year to go before state election, opposition parties have been intensifying their attacks against the Bommai government.

“Supporting the allegations regarding ₹12.5 crore – the transcript of WhatsApp conversations between July 10, 2019 and July 15, 2020, between contractor Ramalingam and Shashidar Maradi, the grandson of the chief minister, it can be established that there were payments of ₹1.5 crore + ₹1 crore + ₹1 crore + ₹7.4 crore + ₹1.6 crores, totaling to ₹12.5 crore made to the grandson of the (then) chief minister,” according to the statement by Abraham.

Yediyurappa told media persons on September 14: “There is no truth to this. I will get out of all this. All of this is very common and I won’t break my head over it.”