Bangalore, Feb 10 (PTI) In a relief to Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah, Karnataka High Court today quashed an investigation ordered by Lokayukta court against him on a private complaint alleging 'misuse' of funds in a lake development project. Allowing a criminal petition filed by Bopaiah seeking quashing of the FIR against them, Justice N Ananda ruled "criminal petition is accepted. No complicity found against the accused. The impugned reference under section 156 (3) of CrPC against the first accused (Bopaiah) is quashed". The judge however, dimissed similar criminal petitions filed by three other accused in the case, observing "offence is confirmed. Criminal petitions are dismissed". The other three accused in the case are Zilla Panchayat Member S N Raja Rao, Kodagu Nirmiti Kendra Project Manager Yoga Narasimha and ZP CEO N Krishnappa. The high court, had on February 3, reserved its orders on the petitions after the conclusion of arguments. On December 8, Lokayukta police in Madikeri filed an FIR against Bopaiah and the other three on the complaint alleging "misuse" of funds sanctioned for lake contruction in Titimathi. Subsequently, Bopaiah and others moved the high court which stayed the investigation. The complaint had alleged "misuse of funds" to the tune of Rs 40 lakh out of Rs 1.2 crore sanctioned for construction of a lake in a rehabilitation centre for tribals in Reshme Hadlu in Titimathi, 60 km from here, during 2006-07 when Bhopaiah was an MLA.
