Yeddyurappa files petition before Lokayukta

BANGALORE: Hours before Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde demitted office, outgoing Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday filed a petition before him seeking reconsideration of his report indicting him in the illegal mining that cost him the top post.

Yeddyurappa in his petition pleaded with the Lokayukta to reconsider his recommendation for prosecuting him under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, saying it was contrary to the Lokayukta Act and "there are certain errors which have crept into the report".

The report had not provided any substantive evidence to prove the charge against him, Yeddyurappa, who was directed to quit by party leadership, said.

"The recommendations made in this case are liable for reconsideration as it is not part of the reference made by the state government. In fact, the recommendations are beyond the reference made by government," he said after submitting the report.

The government had sought the probe into illegal mining for the period from 2000 to July 19, 2010, the petition presented to the Lokayukta by Yeddyurappa's Political Secretary B J Puttaswamy said.

Yeddyurappa said had he been served a notice on the issue of Rs ten crore donation received by the Prerana Education Society, a trust managed by his family members, the findings of the Lokayukta report would have been otherwise.

He sought to distance himself from the trust, saying "so far as the donation to the trust (is concerned), I unequivocally make it clear that I am not a party to the trust. I was never involved directly or indirectly in the affairs of the trust. I have no say in the trust".