Smart meter case: Karnataka High Court grants interim relief to Energy Minister KJ George

The Karnataka High Court has stayed trial court proceedings connected to allegations that State Energy Minister KJ George and senior officials of the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) were involved in manipulating the tender process for the supply and installation of smart meters [KJ George v. State of Karnataka and a connected matter]..A Bench of Justice MI Arun passed the interim order on two petitions to quash these trial proceedings - one filed by George, and another petition filed by former BESCOM Managing Director Mahantesh Bilagi, and technical director Ramesh HJ.The Court has stayed further trial proceedings until August 20, when the matter will be heard next. .On July 23, an Additional City Civil and Sessions Court ordered the registration of a private complaint report (PCR) against George, Bilagi, and Ramesh in the matter. The direction came on a complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, CN Ashwath Narayan, SR Vishwanath, and Dheeraj Muniraj, who accused George of entering into a conspiracy with BESCOM officials to manipulate the smart meter tender process.The BJP leaders claimed that such tender manipulation had caused losses to the public exchequer and that it unfairly benefited Rajashree Electricals, the contractor chosen to implement the smart meter project. The complainants had claimed that this tender was undervalued, that pre-qualification criteria were diluted during the tender selection process, and that statutory procurement norms were violated to favour a pre-selected vendor.They moved a plea before the trial court, seeking the registration of a criminal case against George and BESCOM officials under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) and the Prevention of Corruption Act. .By a July 23 order, special court judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat ordered the registration of a PCR in the matter, and also sought a status report from the Lokayukta Police on a complaint earlier sent by the BJP leaders to the Lokayukta alleging irregularities in the smart meter tender. .This order has now been challenged before the High Court by George and two BESCOM officials (its former MD and a technical engineer). Their petitions pointed out that the BJP complainants had earlier submitted a complaint before the Lokayukta on April 21.However, without awaiting the outcome of this complaint, they moved the Sessions Court in haste, George's petition argued. It added that the allegations made by the BJP leaders were vague and politically motivated. "A bare reading of the allegations makes it abundantly clear that there is no direct or indirect role attributable to the Petitioner, and that the allegations are vague, incoherent, and bereft of any foundational material. The complaint is premised entirely on political rivalry, and is one amongst multiple proceedings filed by the same complainants, who are all BJP MLAS, with the object of pursuing a political vendetta," the plea said. .George's petition was filed through advocates Shathabish Shivanna and Samrudh Sura Hegde.The petition by Mahantesh Bilagi and Ramesh HJ was filed through advocate Leela P.