Yeddy seeks anticipatory bail

Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Wednesday filed an anticipatory bail plea in the CBI court after the CBI conducted raids at his residence in an illegal mining case. The CBI on Wednesday raided his and his family members' residences and two mining firms as it launched a probe into his alleged role in illegal mining in line with a Supreme Court directive.

A day after registering an FIR, CBI officials conducted the raids at eight premises belonging to Yeddyurappa, his sons BY Raghavendra, a Lok Sabha member, and BY Vijayendra as well as son-in-law Sohan Kumar in Bangalore and Shimoga district.

The CBI also raided the offices of JSW Steel and South West Mining Company Limited in Bellary, besides searching the house of a mining leaseholder, police sources said.

The crackdown by the central agency came after it registered a case for offences under IPC including criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust besides under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act and Prevention of Corruption Act.

Yeddyurappa has been accused of granting undue favours to the two firms in lieu of donations made by them to a charitable trust run by his family.

The raids, which began at 6.15am, were being conducted by a joint team of CBI officials from Hyderabad and Bangalore.

The searches were held at Yeddyurappa's residences in Dollars Colony and Race Course Road here and a firm owned by one of his sons.

The Supreme Court order for the CBI probe came after an empowered committee set up by it submitted its report and pointing out several allegations against Yeddyurappa and corporate entities and recommending a CBI probe.

Meanwhile, JSW Steel in a press statement maintained 'It has neither done any illegal activity nor was it connected with any wrongdoing.'