“B” report rejected, further probe ordered in Upper Bhadra case

Bangalore: Spelling more trouble for former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, the Lokayukta Court on Saturday rejected the report that gave a clean chit to him over alleged irregularities in awarding an irrigation project to a private firm for pecuniary gains and ordered further probe against him and others.

Lokayukta court judge N K Sudhindra Rao rejected the “B” report of Lokayukta police earlier this year and directed the Investigating Officer to conduct further probe into charges against Yeddyurappa, Dhavalagiri Properties, Sayadri Healthcare and Murdeshwar Enterprises and submit a report within 21 days and adjourned the case to 18 June.

The Lokayukta Police in its report submitted in Lokayukta court on 30 January had declared it found no evidence against Yeddyurappa after it probed the charges by JDS leader Y S V Datta relating to the project in Upper Bhadra river area.

The Investigating Officer, Dy SP Girish S, in his “B” report stated that “there was no illegal favour found in the allotment of tender to R N S Infrastructure Limited”.

Datta in his complaint had alleged Yeddyurappa received a Rs 16 crore kickback for awarding the second stage Upper Bhadra Irrigation project to joint venture company of RNS Infrastructure Limited and Jyothi Limited, though the firm was the highest bidder, ignoring the claims of the lowest bidders.

In return, Murudeshwara Power Corporation (MPCL- a sister concern of RNS Jyothi) paid Rs 6 crore to Sahayadri Care and Diagnostics Limited and Rs 10 crore to Davalagiri Properties, he alleged.

After payment of Rs 10 crore, MPCL entered into an MoU with Davalagiri to get 40% of developed land of 79 acres purchased by Davalagiri for real estate purposes, Dutta alleged.

Dhavalagiri Properties and Sahyadri Healthcare is owned and managed by Yeddyurappa’s sons and son-in-law. Yeddyurappa, however, was granted anticipatory bail by the High Court in the Upper Bhadra case.