Former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa was on Saturday arrested and sent to judicial custody till October 22 after he surrendered in a sessions court in Bangalore.
Earlier in the day, his bail plea in connection to a case about alleged irregularities in de-notification of government land was rejected by the Lokayukta court. The court also issued an arrest warrant against the Bharatiya Janata Party leader.
The Lokayukta police, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Abdul Ahad, reached the former CM's residence at the Race Course Road in Bangalore to execute the arrest warrant, but found him missing.
Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa, accompanied by some family members, reached the sessions court and surrendered.
He was sent to judicial custody till October 22
Reportage: Vicky Nanjappa
Yeddyurappa ARRESTED, sent to judicial custody
His legal team had advised him to exercise the option of surrendering before the court instead of going along with the Lokayukta police.
The legal team could not file an appeal against the Lokayukta court's arrest today, at such a short notice, and tomorrow is Sunday, a court holiday, said one of its members.
Yeddyurappa is likely to be lodged in the Parapana Agrahara Jail, 20 kms from Bangalore. Katta Subramanya Naidu, a former minister in the BJP CM's cabinet, is also in the same jail in connection with another land scam.
There are 22 accused in the case including Yeddyurappa's sons Raghavendra and Vijyendra.
Yeddyurappa was not present in court when his bail plea was rejected, as he had a backache.
Meanwhile, High Court Justice B S Patil has recused himself from the case, after the petitioner stated that he had no faith in the judge.
The court also denied bail to Yeddyurappa's former ministerial colleague S N Krisnaiah Setty. But 14 other accused, including the former chief minister's sons B Y Raghavendra, Lok Sabha MP B Y Vijayendra and son-in-law Sohan Kumar were granted bail.
Yeddyurappa ARRESTED, sent to judicial custody
Pronouncing his orders in a packed court, Judge N K Sudhindra Rao had directed those being granted bail to furnish a security for Rs five lakh each, not to tamper with evidence and not to leave the country.
The court issued arrest warrants against Yeddyurappa and Setty.
The complaints alleging irregularities in denotification of lands have been filed by advocate Sirajin Basha.
The court order comes as a major embarrassment to the BJP and Yeddyurappa, who is credited with installing the party's first government in the south.
Yeddyurappa ARRESTED, sent to judicial custody
Yeddyurappa was forced to step down in July by the party's central leadership in the wake of his indictment by a Lokayukta report on illegal mining.
The Lokayukta court in September had fixed October 3 for pronouncing its verdict on the bail pleas of Yeddyurappa and others, but had to postpone it following an interim stay granted by the high court on its proceedings.
On September 30, a single judge had issued an interim stay on the Lokayukta court proceedings following a petition filed by Yeddyurappa. However, a division bench had vacated the stay on October 4, facilitating the Lokayukta court to continue the proceedings.
With additional inputs by PTI
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