Notice issued to Lokayukta on Kumaraswamy's bail plea

Karnataka High Court on Tuesday ordered issue of notice to Lokayukta in connection with the anticipatory bail plea filed by JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy on a private complaint alleging illegalities in denotification of government land in 2007 when he was the chief minister.

Justice K N Keshavanarayana ordered issue of notice when the application came up and adjourned it to April 20 for further hearing.

The Lokayukta Police had on Monday filed a chargesheet against Kumaraswamy in connection with the complaint.

Besides Kumaraswamy, former minister C Chennigappa, Raviprakash and Sriram, who were erstwhile owners of the land, have been charged under various IPC sections including 420 (cheating), 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) and Prevention of Corruption Act.

The complainant Mahadevaswamy has alleged Kumaraswamy denotified 3.8 acres in Thanisandra village in 2007 when he was the chief minister at the behest of Chennigappa though the Bangalore Development Authority had acquired the land and even formed sites in Arkavathy layout.