Two teams were immediately despatched to execute the warrant after former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s advocates told the Lokayukta court that BSY was resting at home and would be unable to attend court till Tuesday.
Both teams returned empty-handed to the court at around 4.15 pm.
A Lokayukta police team headed by a DySP entered the former CM’s official residence at around 3.10 pm armed with the warrant issued by the Lokayukta special court, going from room to room only to find the house deserted.
The DySP and his team left an hour later. The other team, which went to BSY’s Dollars Colony house, too came out empty-handed. Sources said BSY exited his official residence in a hurry once the court rejected his application for exemption and issued a warrant for his arrest. Sources said the BJP leader was intent on avoiding the ignominy of arrest and chose instead to surrender before the court. Had he not surrendered, the police would have reported his unavailability at known addresses to the court, which could have led to further embarrassment, sources said.