Bengaluru: Former Lokayukta Justice N. Santosh Hegde, is “saddened” that the BJP has nominated BS Yeddyurappa, against whom Hegde had prepeared a voluminous report on illegal iron ore mining in 2011, as its chief ministerial candidate.

The former judge of the Supreme Court, in a recent interview with News Click and The Wire, said that he and his officers in the Lokayukta had found “foolproof” and clinching evidence against Yeddyurappa and his sons receiving “bribes” from mining companies and granting them illegal favours.

He expressed his unhappiness that the state government and other law-enforcing agencies had not diligently pursued the cases against the former chief minister and his family members and rued the way in which the faith of ordinary people in the criminal justice system had been eroded.

“We had enough proof that he received Rs 19-20 crore from a company called South West Mining Company which had absolutely no capital. It received (the money) one day, Rs 20 crore starting from the account of Jindal Steel Toranagallu, Bellary, which moved into three or four benami accounts… and landed in the account of South West Mining Company. Out of that Rs 20 crore, Rs 10 crore by cheque was purportedly donated to an education trust in a neighbouring district called Shimoga, which is wholly owned by Yeddyurappa and family,” he said replying to a question.

“For a public servant to receive such a huge gift, according to me, is contrary to law, the disciplinary rules as well as the fact that the file was then pending with Yeddyurappa. As a chief minister he had the mining portfolio with him and received Rs 10 crore as donation which, according to me, shows that money was paid not as a donation but for considerations for showing favours in the mining application,” Mr. Hegde added.

He also said that the state government and the law-enforcing agencies failed to pursue the corruption cases against Yeddyurappa and his family members. He also rued the way in which the faith of ordinary people is being eroded.

It can be recalled that the then chief minister, B S Yeddyurappa had to step down from his post after the submission of final report by the Lokayukta. He had become the first serving CM to go to jail.

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Visakhapatnam (PTI): India fought back gallantly through Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav after Quinton de Kock struck his 23rd hundred, keeping South Africa to a manageable 270 in the third and series-deciding final ODI, here Saturday.

India won the toss after judging the spin of the coin incorrectly 20 times in a row. They had little hesitation in inserting the Proteas into bat, a clear indication of dew factor dominating the thought.

After Arshdeep Singh sent back Ryan Rickelton early, De Kock (106, 89b, 8x4, 6x4) struck his seventh century against India and put on 113 runs off 124 balls with skipper Temba Bavuma (48, 67b) as the visitors moved to a healthy position.

De Kock was severe on Prasidh (4/66), who erred on length continuously in his first spell (2-0-27-0). The left-hander biffed the pacer for 6, 6, 4 in his second over to milk 18 runs.

The 32-year-old quickly pounced on anything that was short, and pacers Prasidh and Harshit offered him plenty of feed on his pet areas.

Bavuma was more sedate, and made runs through those typical dabs and jabs, occasionally unfurling a drive of elan.

De Kock moved to fifty in 42 balls, and never let the tempo down reaching his hundred in 79 balls.

India found temporary relief when Ravindra Jadeja induced a false slash from Bavuma to get caught by Virat Kohli at point.

The tourists got another move on through a 54-run partnership between De Kock and Matthew Breetzkle for the third wicket, and at 168 for two in 28 overs they were in a good position to press on.

But Breetzke's punishment of part-time spinner Tilak Varma forced a rethink in the Indian camp, as skipper KL Rahul brought back Prasidh for a second spell.

What a masterstroke it turned out to be! The Karnataka man broke the back of South Africa’s top and middle order in an exceptional second spell (4-0-11-3).

Breetzke was the first man to go, trapped plumb in front with a straight one and four balls later Aiden Markram uppishly chipped a fuller delivery to Kohli at short covers.

Prasidh soon castled De Kock, whose ugly cross-batted swipe failed to connect a full length delivery from the pacer.

All of a sudden, SA found themselves at a shaky 199 for five, losing three wickets in the space of three overs.

Once Prasidh was done away with the top and middle-order, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep (4/41) took over and mopped up the tail as SA fell short of even a par total on this track.