Yeddyurappa, Former Karnataka Cm, Gets Anticipatory Bail

BANGALORE: In a breather for former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, the high court on Wednesday granted him anticipatory bail in two corruption cases.

Justice H Billappa of the high court granted bail to the 68-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader on condition that he furnish a bond for Rs.200,000, two sureties for the same amount each and not tamper with evidence.

Yeddyurappa is already out of jail on bail in two other corruption cases and has sought anticipatory bail in a fifth case.

The five cases of corruption and illegal land deals were filed by two Bangalore advocates Sirajin Basha and K N Balaraj in January this year.

Yeddyurappa, BJP's first chief minister in Karnataka, was in Bangalore's central jail for 21 days from Oct 19, though he was arrested Oct 15 in two cases. He spent only a few hours in jail on Oct 15 and spent three days in two hospitals complaining of chest pain.

He resigned as chief minister July 31 after the then Lokayukta (ombudsman) N Santosh Hegde recommended his trial for corruption in an illegal mining scandal.