In a setback to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, the Karnataka High Court has given its nod to probe the chief minister’s role in ‘Operation Kamala’- name used by the opposition to define the alleged involvement of BJP in getting opposition MLAs to switch sides in their favour.
The high court order comes in a case filed by Sharanagowda Patil, son of JDS MLA Naganna Gowda against BS Yediyurappa under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case pertains to a leaked audio where Yediyurappa is allegedly heard persuading Sharan Gowda to convince his father to resign.
This happened when BS Yediyurappa was the opposition leader and the Congress-JDS coalition was in power. After which 17 MLAs from both parties switched sides leading to the fall of the government.
Earlier, BS Yediyurappa had approached the HC for a stay against the case which was granted. “Now the court has said that prima facie there is a case committing offence under prevention of corruption act. Therefore, the stay has been vacated and police can go ahead with the case,” said Vilas Kumar, the advocate for Sharana Gowda.