BANGALORE: Signalling relief to former chief ministers S M Krishna and H D Kumaraswamy, the High Court on Thursday ordered a four-week stay on Lokayukta proceedings and investigation against them in connection with a private complaint accusing them of facilitating illegal mining during their tenure.Krishna has been alleged of allowing illegal mining during between 1999-2004, and being instrumental in large-scale de-reservation of forest area (6832.48 ha of iron ore-bearing lands).Senior counsel for Krishna, Uday U Lalit, submitted that it was Krishna’s successor and not him who permitted illegal mining, and the Lokayukta report makes no mention about his client permitting illegal mining.“Permitting mining during Krishna’s tenure was a collective decision of the state Cabinet. Moreover, the Lokayukta report refers to granting of mining leases after 2006 when N Dharam Singh was the CM.”The HC also ordered four-week stay on the Lokayukta proceedings and investigation against Kumaraswamy, in the same complaint. Justice B V Pinto directed the complainant, T J Abraham, to file objections to the petitions against Kumaraswamy and Krishna on January 5 and 6 respectively.
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