Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday said the Central Bureau of Investigation cannot continue investigating Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivkaumar – roiled in a disproportionate assets case – since the state had earlier withdrawn permission for the federal agency to operate in its jurisdiction.
The court, simultaneously, also rejected a similar petition by the BJP’s Basanagouda Yatnal.
The CBI has been given liberty to approach the Supreme Court but cannot, at this time, investigate corruption charges against the Deputy Chief Minister. The case has been given to the Lokayukta.
Mr Shivakumar has declared he will accept any ruling by the top court as “God’s decision”.
“I believe in the courts… and I believe in God. I will accept the court’s decision as God’s…” he told reporters this morning while inspecting an infrastructure project in Karnataka’s Sakleshpur.
Mr Shivakumar, who is also the ruling Congress’ state unit boss, appeared before a Lokayukta panel last week, as summoned, to cooperate with its inquiry into the illegal assets case against him.
In November last year the Congress had withdrawn consent for the CBI’s investigation.
That consent – declared “illegal” – had been granted by the previous government – run by fierce rivals BJP. The move triggered a predictable political row, with the BJP and its ally, the Janata Dal (Secular) up in arms; they accused the Congress of an “immoral” decision to protect Mr Shivakumar.
Former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, whose government had summoned the CBI to investigate Mr Shivakumar, hit back saying it was the Enforcement Directorate (another federal agency) that had claimed the Deputy Chief Minister violated provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
He also pointed out the High Court, in October last year, refused to quash a police case against Mr Shivakumar – pointing to a wealth of documents submitted by the investigators – the call to the CBI, and asserted that once a probe had been initiated, no authority could withdraw its inquiries.
