BJP’s hall of shame gets murkier

Though Kolar Gold Field MLA Y Sampangi attained the dubious distinction of being the first MLA in the state to get convicted for corruption, his political guru and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and many other BJP colleagues are also facing similar charges.

Yeddyurappa, who was recently booked by CBI in an illegal mining case, has several corruption cases pending against him. He was forced to quit after he was indicted for corruption in a report on illegal mining, submitted by the Lokayukta in July last year.

Later in October, Yeddyurappa and his associate Krishnaiah Shetty, who then held the Muzrai (endowments) portfolio were arrested and remanded to judicial custody by the Lokayukta court for denotifying land in and around Bangalore for a pecuniary benefits.

After spending 20 days in prison, Yeddyurappa was finally granted bail by the High Court. Besides this case, Yeddyurappa is also facing five corruption cases against him in Lokayukta court.

Gali Janardhan Reddy: He held tourism ministry portfolio in the Yeddyurappa ministry and was imprisoned for alleged involvement of his firms in illegal mining. Reddy is currently facing a fresh charge of paying bribe to a judge to get bail. The CBI had raided the house of CBI Special Judge in Andhra Pradesh and recovered over Rs5 crore cash.

The judge has been accused of taking bribe to grant bail for Reddy in the alleged illegal mining case involving his Obulapuram Mining Company. However Reddy is also facing charges of illegal mining conducted by another of his firms, Associated Mining Company.

Katta Subramanya Naidu: The former IT&BT minister and his corporator son, Katta Jagadish were arrested in last December in a multi-crore KIADB land scam case. Katta and his son later secured bail on humanitarian grounds, after he pleaded with the court to grant him permission to undergo treatment for cancer.

Murugesh Nirani: The current industries minister, now busy with the Global Investors Meet II, is also facing corruption charges. The Lokayukta Court last month had ordered a probe against Yeddyurappa and Nirani on a private complaint accusing them of illegally ordering cancellation of an industrial site.

Judge NK Sudheendra Rao had directed the Lokayukta SP to investigate the complaint, filed by Alam Pasha, and submit a report by June 27. Pasha had alleged that the accused had forged documents and ordered cancellation of allotment of 26 acres of land to him by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB).

Lakshman Savadi, Palemar and CC Patil: The three ministers caused huge embarrassment to the state assembly. They had to resign on being caught watching pornography while the assembly was in session. TV cameramen perched behind in the elevated media gallery zeroed in on the three ministers watching porn and the footage was aired by many TV channels. Savadi was seen watching the porn clip on his phone, while Palemar and Patil were peeping and gesturing mirthfully.

H Halappa: Former Karnataka food and civil supplies minister was arrested in May last year in connection with a rape case filed against him by his friend’s wife. Halappa had quit his post as minister, after a media report claimed he had sexually assaulted his friend’s wife at their residence in November last at Shimoga.

Chandravathi, wife of financier Venkatesh Murthy, had filed an FIR claiming Halappa had raped her and later threatened the couple with dire consequences if they spoke about it. Police have booked charges of criminal intimidation, wrongful confinement and restraint against Halappa and two of his aides.

CP Yogeshwar: The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) of the ministry of corporate affairs, has filed six criminal cases against forest minister Yogeshwar, his family members, his personal lawyer and auditor in two city courts in February this year.

The minister has been charged with collecting huge amount of money from the public for sites in a residential township project promoted by him. Later he did not give them the sites as promised, nor did he refund their money.

V Somanna: The former housing minister is involved in alleged illegal land-denotification case.

CT Ravi: A disproportionate asset case was filed against this BJP MLA from Chikmagalur in the Lokayukta court in May this year. Social activist AC Kumar, who filed the case, said that during the 2004 assembly elections Ravi had declared that his total assets were Rs10.1 lakh and his annual income was Rs1.20 lakh. In 2008, he had declared the his annual income was Rs18.9 lakh and assets were Rs92.95 lakh. His assets now top Rs50 crore.

Nandish Reddy: The High Court had on Friday annulled Reddy’s election as MLA from the KR Puram Assembly Constituency in 2008. Kavitha Mahesh, an independent candidate had approached the high court to set aside Reddy’s election, after her nomination papers were rejected by a returning officer.

The court has asked the concerned authority to register a case against the returning officer for perjury.