BENGALURU, 6 AUG 

The Karnataka High Court temporarily stayed proceedings against State Energy Minister KJ George and senior Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) officials in connection with alleged irregularities in the tendering process of smart meters. The case, filed by BJP MLAs, alleged that there Rs 16,000 crore scam in connection with the tendering process of the smart meters.

A Bench of Justice MI Arun passed the interim order on two separate petitions filed by George and former BESCOM managing director Mahantesh Bilagi, and Technical Director Ramesh HJ.

The Court has stayed further trial proceedings until 20 August, when the matter will be heard next.

On 23 July, an Additional Court passed an order for the registration of a private complaint against George, Bilagi, and Ramesh in the matter.

“Here the trial court has passed an order directing Lokayukta police to submit a report which is not permissible,” the High Court said, quashing the lower court’s ruling.

BJP leaders, CN Ashwath Narayan, SR Vishwanath, and Dheeraj Muniraj had lodged a complaint accusing George of conspiring 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.