Lokayukta court adjourns hearing against Krishna, 2 ex-CMs

The Lokayukta Court in Bengaluru on Monday adjourned to April 11 further hearing on a private complaint against External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and two other former Karnataka Chief Ministers, accusing them of involvement in illegal mining.

Lokayukta Judge N K Sudhindra Rao adjourned hearing on the complaint filed by social activist T J Abraham after he sought time in view of the Supreme Court stay on the investigation into allegations against Krishna in the case.

Abraham also filed a memo before the Lokayukta court seeking a probe into the veracity of contents of an affidavit filed by Samudaya Parivartana Samaj in the illegal mining case.

He submitted that the SPS had approached the Lokayukta court seeking to be arrayed as co-complainants in the mining case although there is no provision for it as per Criminal Procedure Code 1973.

Abraham alleged the SPS was trying to interfere in the case at the behest of someone, probably some of the illegal mining company owners who may be funding the organisation to derail the case.

In his complaint in December last year, Abraham had accused Krishna (who was chief minister from October 1999 to May 2004), and his successors N Dharam Singh (Congress) and H D Kumaraswamy (Janata Dal-Secular) of having indulged in various acts of illegal omission and commission in relation to grant of leases for mining in the state during their tenure as chief ministers.