Bangalore: HC Stays Lokayukta Police Probe Against Gowda's Son

Bangalore, Nov 16 (PTI): Karnataka High Court today stayed for eight weeks the investigation ordered by a Lokayukta Court into a private complaint levelling corruption charges against H D Balakrishne Gowda, a former state government official and son of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda.

Passing the interim order, Justice B V Pinto observed that on perusal of materials furnished before him by the petitioner, the investigation ordered by the Special Lokayukta Court needed to be stayed for eight weeks.

Justice Pinto also ordered notices to the respondents and also the Lokayukta police.

Balakrishna, a retired official of Visveswaraya Iron and Steel Ltd (VISL), in his complaint had alleged that Gowda, a former Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) officer, had purchased immovable properties in his name and also in the names of his relatives between 2005 and 2007 after his retirement from government service.

The present market value of these properties was Rs 582 crore, the complaint had alleged.

Uday Holla, senior counsel for Balakrishne Gowda submitted that the complainant was an RSS worker and had served as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa during March 2011 to September 2011.

After he was relieved of his duties as OSD, he filed the complaint against Balakrishne Gowda with "malafide intention".

The charges made in the complaint under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act section 13(1)e were not only delayed, but also filed with malafide intention as it came after Balakrishne Gowda's retirement in 2005, he argued.

Following the September 22 directive by the Lokayukta court to conduct investigations into the complaint, Lokayukta police raided the residences of Balakrishne Gowda and his relatives in Bangalore and Mysore last month.