SC posts final hearing in BSY denotification case to April 18

 The Supreme Court on Monday put for final hearing a petition filed by the Karnataka government against the Karnataka High Court's decision to quash 15 FIRs against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa in the denotification case.

A bench of Justices A K Sikri and R K Agrawal posted the special leave petition by Karnataka for consideration on April 18 after senior advocate Ashok K Panda, appearing for the Comptroller and Auditor General, submitted that they have already filed a response in the matter.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the Karnataka government, along with standing counsel Joseph Aristotle, submitted that the matter required adjudication if the single judge of the high court was authorised to quash FIRs registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court allowed Karnataka's counsel to file a rejoinder, if required, to the affidavit of the CAG.

In a special leave petition, the Karnataka government has contended that the Comptroller and Auditor reports could be relied upon for initiating action for “cognisable offence” against the senior BJP leader.

It had countered the senior BJP leader's contention that the registration of 15 FIRs on the direction of the Lokayukta on the basis of CAG's reports was “completely misplaced”.

The state government submitted that right from fodder scam of Bihar to 2G spectrum, coal and CWG scams, there were instances where action was taken resulting in charge sheets and conviction based on such reports.

The Karnataka government has challenged before the apex court the high court's order of January 5, 2016, quashing 15 FIRs against Yeddyurappa.