Yeddyurappa gets bail in corruption case

After 24-day ordeal in Parappanna Arahara Central Prison, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa all set to walk out of prison by this evening as he was granted conditional bail by Karnataka high court today.

Justice B V Pinto, who had given bail to Yeddyurappa in cases 1 and 2 on Friday, adjourned the hearing on case 3 to Tuesday stating he needs time to study the witnesses, thereby delaying his release from the jail. Hearing the case today, Justice Pinto granted bail to Yeddyurappa and former minister Es En Krishnaiah Setty on surety of Rs 10 lakh each.

Following private petition from advocates Sirajin Basha and K N Balraj on allegations of land denotificaton case, the Special Lokayukta Court had awarded the 68-year old Yeddyurappa to judicial custody on October 15. He was accused of using his term as chief minister to help his family get prime property at throwaway prices. There are five separate cases against him related to different land scams.

Within hours after he was arrested last month, he moved to government run Jayadeva Hospital complaining of chest pain and after doctors declared him fit, the former chief minister moved to another government hospital - Victoria Hospital. Following criticizms for his hospital hopping, Yeddyurappa decided to move back to jail.

It may be recalled that the BJP bosses in New Delhi asked him to step down after Lokayukta indicted him in the illegal mining report in July. There after Yeddyurappa has challenged the party on many occasions alleging that the leaders did not give him opportunity to explain his position. Though the party choose rural development and panchayat raj minister Jagadish Shettar as a replacement, Yeddyurappa didn't want another Lingayat as CM, and picked D V Sadananda Gowda to replace him. The composition of Gowda's cabinet took shape as Yeddyurappa wished and recently, the former chief minister saw that none of his followers including 12 ministers and many BJP legislators attend the L K Advani's Jan Chetna rally in Bangalore.

Speculations are rife that Yeddyurappa, who blames party for the negative developments that have happened in last couple of months, may float a regional political outfit or revive JD(U) n Karnataka. However, this theory was dismissed by state BJP president K S Eshwarappa. To keep former CM in good humour and to convince him not to take hasty decisions, Eshwarappa on Monday held talks with Yeddyurappa in the prison.