Karnataka high court: BV Acharya can’t hold brief for lok ayukta

Senior counsel BV Acharya cannot represent the Lokayukta police in a petition by Vasantnagar corporator Katta Jagadish, requesting the high court to quash a first information report filed against him in the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) land scam case.

Karnataka high court judge V Jagannathan on Tuesday banned Acharya from appearing for the lok ayukta, and adjourned the hearing to February 18.

Allowing an objection raised by the senior counsel appearing for Jagadish, CV Nagesh, justice Jagannathan observed that the state’s special public prosecutor cannot delegate his power to Acharya to represent the lok ayukta.

The judge rejected the memo filed by the lok ayukta police, to allow the senior counsel to represent them.

The court also observed that the advocate-general’s permission was required for Acharya to argue the case.

Corporator Jagadish, the second accused in the FIR, is the son of former minister Katta Subramaniya Naidu, who resigned from the BS Yeddyurappa cabinet following the multi-crore land scam case. Naidu is the first accused.

Special public prosecutor Rajendra Reddy would represent the lok ayukta police on February 18. Nagesh earlier argued that no information, that Acharya would be representing the lok ayukta, had been provided. 

Acharya defended himself saying that senior counsel could plead on behalf of the advocate on record.

The court, however, dismissed Acharya’s argument.