Bengaluru: Acting on a public interest petition filed by B S Narayana Murthy, secretory of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and A C Shivaraju, a social worker, High Court on Monday issued notice to Energy minister D K Shivakumar and family.

The notice has been issued to minister, his wife Usha, brother D K Suresh and others, including granite companies, in connection with their alleged involvement in illegal quarrying around Kanakapura taluk in Ramanagaram district.

The petitioners sought a CBI inquiry into the alleged illegal quarrying of coloured granite in Kanakapura and surrounding areas, in which D K Shivakumar and his family members were allegedly involved. The petitioners also alleged that Shivakumar, while an MLA, had appealed to then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa to withdraw forest offence cases pending against him.

Abusing power, vested interests and politicians are quarrying within 100 metres of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, violating the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act and Karnataka Forest Act, besides trying to hush up cases registered against them, the petitioners alleged. Hence, a CBI inquiry should be ordered into the illegal quarrying, they said.

The High Court also declined to stay proceedings initiated against former minister and BJP leader M P Renukacharya in connection with a disproportionate assets case.  Hearing a petition challenging the Lokayukta proceedings, Justice A N Venugopala Gowda refused to interfere in the probe taken up by Lokayukta police in Davanagere district. Justice Gowda asked Lokayukta police to submit a status report and issued a notice to complainant Gurupadaiah Matad, an activist, and adjourned the matter to July 1.

On May 28, Lokayukta police conducted simultaneous raids at properties owned by Renukacharya in Bengaluru, Davanagere and Shivamogga districts and seized `2.33 lakh in cash, gold worth `4 lakh, and hundreds of documents related to Renukacharya’s properties.