The Karnataka High Court on Thursday adjourned to tomorrow hearing on External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna's petition seeking quashing of the private complaint accusing him of facilitating illegal mining during his tenure as state Chief Minister.
Justice B.V. Pinto adjourned the hearing after Krishna's counsel Sandeep Patil sought time for the appearance of senior counsel Uday Lalit.
The petition was filed by Krishna on December 9, a day after Lokayukta Police registered an FIR against him and also two other former Chief Ministers N Dharam Singh and H D Kumaraswamy and 11 officials.
Krishna also sought quashing of the FIR filed by Lokayukta police and a stay on the proceedings before the Lokayukta court, contending "no offence" had been made out against him in the complaint. In his petition, Krishna had submitted he had not committed "any illegality or irregularity" in the mining sector.
The FIR was filed against Krishna under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, Forest Conservation Act, Forest Act and Minerals and Metals Regulation and Development Act, following the December 3 directive by Lokayukta Judge N K Sudhindra Rao on a private complaint
Social activist and businessman T J Abraham had submitted that his complaint was based on the report on illegal mining presented to the government by then Lokayukta Santosh Hegde in August.