By IANS,
Bangalore : Scam-hit former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Saturday failed to get exemption from personal appearance in court over corruption cases and has been told to be present on Monday.
Yeddyurappa did not appear Saturday in the trial court on the ground that he was suffering from fever and sought permission to be represented by his advocate.
Additional City Civil and Sessions Court Judge N.K. Sudhindra Rao, who functions as special Lokayukta (ombudsman) court for speedy trial of corruption cases, rejected the plea and directed Yeddyurappa to appear before him on Monday.
Rao had summoned Yeddyurappa to appear before him Saturday in connection with various illegal land deals.
The case was filed Jan 23 by two Bangalore advocates, Sirajin Bhasha and N.K. Balaraj, after Governor H.R. Bhardwaj gave them permission Jan 21 to launch criminal proceedings against Yeddyurappa.
Yeddyurapa quit July 31 after the then Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde recommended his trial for graft in illegal mining scam.
Apprehending arrest in the illegal land deals cases, the former chief minister has sought anticipatory bail from the high court which will give its verdict on it Monday.
In their complaints the two advocates have accused Yeddyurappa, his two sons B.Y. Raghavendra and B.Y. Vijayendra, son-in-law R. Sohan Kumar and eleven others of conspiracy to denotify (freeing from government control) land in and around Bangalore in return for monetary benefits.
Raghavendra is Bharatiya Janata Party Lok Sabha member from Shimoga, about 280 km from Bangalore.
Yeddyurappa petitioned the high court challenging the legality of Bhardwaj’s sanction. The court is hearing his plea. It has, however, rejected Yeddyurappa’s appeal to stay the sanction and also proceedings in the Lokayukta special court.