SM Krishna files petition seeking FIR against him quashed

Mangalore Today / NDTV

Bangalore, Dec 9:  External Affairs Minister SM Krishna has filed a criminal petition in the Karnataka High Court seeking quashing of a case registered against him based on a private complaint that alleged that as Karnataka chief minister he allowed illegal mining to continue. The hearing on his plea is likely to begin early next week.

 

A First Information Report or FIR was registered in Bangalore yesterday against Mr Krishna by the Lokayukta police. The FIR  also features two other men who succeeded Mr Krishna as chief minister: H.D. Kumaraswamy and Dharam Singh.

A private complaint by a social activist and businessman, TJ Abraham, has provoked the FIR. He alleges that as chief minister from 1999 to 2003, Mr Krishna took decisions that facilitated illegal mining and did not protect the state’s forests.
 
On December 3, Lokayukta court judge N K Sudhindra Rao had directed the police to investigate the complaint.
 
Mr Krishna described the accusations as "unholy attempts at character assassination." He added, "I wish to point out that I never retained the portfolio of Mines and Geology." He said that no mining licences were issued during his term in office and that he did not permit the de-reservation of forests for mining companies.
 
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned till noon on Friday following uproar over opposition demand for resignation of External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna for his alleged involvement in a mining scam. Rajya Sabha had to be adjourned  a second time till 2:30 pm over the same issue, as BJP members persisted with their demand.