Karnataka: Governor again returns files seeking sanction to prosecute HDK and Janaradhan Reddy

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has raised queries and returned the files seeking sanction for prosecution of Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy and former mining baron and BJP leader G. Janaradhan Reddy.

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has raised queries and returned the files seeking sanction for prosecution of Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy and former mining baron and BJP leader G. Janaradhan Reddy.

The Governor had, in a first, returned both files on August 28, 2024, seeking English translations of chargesheets that run into several thousand pages against the two NDA leaders. This had come close on the heels of the Governor providing sanction to prosecute Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA ‘scam’ and the State Cabinet “advising” the Governor to take a call on other petitions seeking sanction for prosecution against other politicians pending before him. 

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing a case pertaining to Mr. Kumaraswamy allegedly giving mining license to a firm violating norms while he was the Chief Minister and the Lokayukta Police probing the Disproportionate Assets (DA) case against Mr. Reddy had provided the translations to the Governor in January, 2025. However, these files have again been returned with queries, multiple sources said. 

In the case of Mr. Kumaraswamy, the Governor has flagged three Supreme Court orders and has sought a clarification as to how the former Chief Minister could be prosecuted in the light of these orders. Officials said that they were taking a legal opinion and will soon respond to the Raj Bhavan’s queries. “None of the judgments flagged apply to this particular case as the circumstances are different,” a senior official in the know said. 

In the case of Mr. Reddy, the Lokayukta police had earlier filed a “B Report” in the case that was rejected by the Lokayukta Court ordering reinvestigation, following which a chargesheet was prepared and a request seeking sanction for prosecution was sent to the Governor. Now the Raj Bhavan has sought the earlier ‘B Report’ and all related documents in the case, sources said. These documents will be translated into English and submitted to the Governor, sources said.