SC stays ACB investigation against Karnataka BJP leader R Ashoka

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the investigation against former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka R Ashoka, by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the state..The petitioner, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), approached the Apex Court against the Karnataka High Court’s dismissal of a petition that sought quashing of a First Information Report (FIR) against him..The FIR filed earlier this year by the ACB relates to allegations of irregularities and illegalities on the part of R Ashoka. The time period during which the alleged irregularities are said to have taken place is between 1998 and 2007, when Ashoka was Chairman of the Committee for Regularisation of Unauthorised Occupied Land..The FIR was filed based on a complaint made by one A Anand, who alleged that there were illegalities in regularisation orders passed during the period the petitioner was at the helm of the Committee..R Askoka was represented by Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Sajan Poovayya, who argued for quashing of the for FIR in question. It is claimed in the petition that the role played by Ashoka in the Committee was not an active one..Further, it is asserted that since the investigation concerns the discharge of duty of a public servant, prior permission of his recruiting authority would be needed. In this case, however, no such permission was taken from the Governor, who had appointed the petitioner to the said post..It was also claimed that no prima facie case can be made out against him, and there is no cognizable offence that can be made out on a plain reading of the complaint..The Bench of Justices SA Bobde and L Nageswara Rao has stayed the investigation initiated against the petitioner until further orders, and issued notice in the case. The Court has allowed the respondents to file their counter-affidavits in the meanwhile. The next date of hearing is November 26..Read Order: