The state cabinet of Karnataka has declared that the permission granted by the previous BJP government for a CBI investigation into the deputy CM’s disproportionate assets (DA) case was unlawful. This determination now paves the way for the government to withdraw the previously granted permission to the CBI. The decision was made based on the opinions of both the former advocate general under the BJP government and the current advocate general. Both found that the sanction given by the BJP government did not adhere to the law.

The cabinet discovered that the previous government had failed to fulfill its legal obligation of obtaining permission from the speaker of the legislative assembly, of which DK Shivakumar was a member. As a result, the cabinet deemed the permission to be unlawful, and the government will proceed with the withdrawal of the permission through appropriate government orders.

There have been income tax raids conducted at various properties in 2017, prompting the CBI to seek permission from the government to investigate the DA case against DK Shivakumar. This permission was granted by the Yediyurappa government in September 2019. Shivakumar contested the sanction in the high court in 2020, with a single bench dismissing it in April 2023. He then appealed before a division bench in June 2023, which further stayed the sanction. The CBI appealed to the Supreme Court, requesting the vacation of the stay order, but the apex court ruled that the matter must be heard by the high court.

The final hearing for the case is scheduled for November 29.

In other news, the cabinet has decided to extend the benefits of the Gruha Lakshmi and Anna Bhagya schemes to the senior-most members of below poverty line (BPL) families in cases where the BPL cards do not mention the ‘head of the family’.