Deve Gowda's son's case adjourned

The Lok Ayukta special court has adjourned to January 16 the private complaint against HD Balakrishnegowda, son of former prime minister HD Devegowda, alleging that he had amassed property after his voluntary retirement as a Karnataka administrative officer.

A private complaint was filed by SN Balakrishna, a 72-year-old retired mechanical engineer from the Bhadravathi Vishveswaraiah Iron and Steel plant.

He alleged that former KAS officer Balakrishnegowda had amassed property worth Rs77 crore after opting for voluntary retirement in 2005.

The properties were bought in the last six years in the names of his wife Kavitha, mother-in-law Jayamma, brothers-in-law Ravindra and Srikanth.

Justice NK Sudhindra Rao, in the last hearing, had given time until November 26 to the Lok Ayukta police to file the investigation report.

In the meantime, Gowda had moved the Karnataka high court challenging the October 24 order of the special Lok Ayukta court directing the Lok Ayukta police to investigate corruption charges against him.

Gowda had filed an interlocutory application seeking for stay.

The high court, on November 16, granted an interim stay for eight weeks.

The case came up for hearing before Justice Rao on Saturday.

The counsels informed about the high court’s order on the stay of investigation for eight weeks.

When the case came up for hearing on Monday, the order copy was submitted to the judge, who adjourned the case to January 16.