K’taka to file appeal against Yeddy’s acquittal

The Congress government in Karnataka has decided to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the the acquittal of former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa in a raft of corruption cases by the High Court. This comes within days of his appointment as state unit chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

An order was issued on February 24 on filing the appeal, which the state Lokayukta had also recommended, said Law Minister TB Jayachandra. “The Lokayukta had also recommended it. In that background, the Home Department has taken action and issued the order,” he said, adding that the appeal would be in relation to 15-16 cases against Yeddyurappa.

The Siddaramaiah government’s move comes within two weeks after Yeddyurappa returned as the state BJP president for the fourth time and has set a target of winning 150 of the 224 Assembly seats in the 2018 polls. His appointment to revive the fortunes of the party had come after the Lingayat strongman got a breather from the High Court in January this year, when it quashed the proceedings against him in relation to 15 FIRs registered by the Lokayukta police over denotification of lands in alleged violation of rules. 

After Yeddyurappa’s return as BJP chief, Siddaramaiah had indicated that the government was mulling filing the appeal and the Law Department would take a decision.