Case against DK Shivakumar: SC questions BJP MLA Yatnal over appeal against HC order
New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned BJP MLA Basangouda R Patil (Yatnal) over his challenge over the withdrawal of consent to the CBI for probing the disproportionate assets case against Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh told senior advocate K Parmeswar, appearing for BJP MLA, it appeared the petitioner was before the Supreme Court for political mileage.
"Why are you here? For political mileage?" asked Justice Surya Kant.
Parmeswar said the state government was yet to file its counter affidavit and the issue was not political as CBI also filed an appeal.
"This is the disproportionate asset case where the state government withdrew the general consent to prevent the CBI from probing the person, who is now deputy chief minister of the state. With all due respect, this can't happen," he submitted.
Advocate Kanu Aggarwal, appearing for CBI, said the court may permit the agency to file submission on the question of law in the matter.
The bench adjourned the matter owing to paucity of time.
On September 17, last year, the top court sought the responses of Shivakumar and the state government on a plea against withdrawal of consent to the CBI for probing the disproportionate assets case against him.
Patil has challenged the Karnataka High Court’s order of August 29, 2024, rejecting his plea against withdrawal of consent.
The high court held as "non-maintainable" a petition filed by the CBI challenging the decision of Karnataka’s Congress government to withdraw the consent to probe the case.
It dismissed the plea challenging the state government's December 26, 2023 order referring the Rs 74.93 crore DA case to the Lokayukta for investigation.
The CBI had alleged that Shivakumar amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income between 2013 and 2018. He was a minister in the previous Congress government during this period.
Later, when the BJP came to power in the state, its government granted sanction to the CBI to prosecute Shivakumar.
The current Karnataka government headed by Siddaramaiah had on November 23, 2023 held that the previous BJP government's move to give consent to the CBI to investigate the DA case against Shivakumar was not in accordance with law and decided to withdraw the sanction.
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If you have a conscience, apologize to the people: R Ashoka slams Yathindra over Nalwadi comparison
Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka launched a scathing attack on MLC Dr. Yathindra, demanding that he retract his controversial statement comparing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the late Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Ashoka urged Yathindra to apologize to the people of Karnataka if he had even a shred of conscience and any respect for the Mysuru royal lineage.
In a strongly worded social media post on Sunday, Ashoka stated, “Comparing Siddaramaiah to Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar is nothing short of absurd. Where is Nalwadi, who was bestowed the title of ‘Rajarshi’ by Mahatma Gandhi himself, and where is Siddaramaiah, who has stooped to being a puppet in the hands of fake Gandhis for the sake of power?”
He continued his critique by contrasting the enduring legacy of Nalwadi, remembered fondly by Kannadigas for his people-centric development, with what he termed as Siddaramaiah’s failure to manage Karnataka’s economy, burdening every household with debt.
Ashoka highlighted several stark differences, while Nalwadi built Mysore University over a century ago, Siddaramaiah is shutting down nine universities due to lack of funds. Nalwadi famously sold his family’s gold to build the KRS dam, whereas Siddaramaiah is accused of grabbing 14 sites meant for the public. Nalwadi established Bhadravati Iron & Steel Plant, Sandalwood Soap Factory, and Mysore Paper Mills. In contrast, Ashoka claimed Siddaramaiah's governance drove away industries, investors, and entrepreneurs. Nalwadi pioneered reservations for the backward classes long before it became mainstream. Siddaramaiah, Ashoka alleged, is reducing social justice to a gimmick by sticking labels on doors in the name of surveys.
While acknowledging Yathindra’s emotional attachment to his father, Ashoka emphasized that comparing Siddaramaiah to a visionary like Nalwadi was “laughable, baseless, and a gross insult” to the late king.
In his concluding remarks, Ashoka slammed the government for ignoring farmers’ needs despite an early monsoon. He accused the administration of being caught up in internal power struggles and negligence, forcing farmers into despair. “This government will not be spared from the curse of the farmers,” he warned.
