Kalaburagi: Karnataka BJP president BS Yeddyurappa can breathe easy as the kalaburagi bench of the Karnataka high court has stayed the investigation against the former chief minister in the audio tape controversy.

It might be recalled that chief minister HD Kumaraswamy had released an audio tape a few hours before he was to present the state Budget. The CM had alleged that Yeddyurappa had offered a huge sum of Rs 10 crore to Sharangouda, the son of the JD(S) MLA Nagangouda from Devdurga in Raichur.

On February 13, an FIR was lodged in this regard based on a complaint filed by Sharangouda himself. As the investigation had begun, BSY had approached the court seeking quashing of the FIR. And as the judge ruled in his favour, Yeddyurappa can indeed heave a sigh of relief.

What might have gone in favour of Yeddyurappa is the fact that sections of Prevention of Corruption Act were invoked incorrectly.

Sanjay Kulkarni, Yeddyurappa’s counsel said, “Even if we were to assume that Yeddyurappa offered Rs 10 cr to Sharangouda, in the clip it is said to be towards election expenses. This cannot be considered a bribe.”