The Supreme Court has stayed the Karnataka High Court order directing Lokayukta Police to probe External Affairs Minister S M Krishna in the alleged illegal mining case.

A bench of the apex court said the probe ordered by the Lokayukta court was premature as the proceedings before the ombudsman were incomplete on account of failure in the submission of supplementary report.

The bench issued a notice and sought response within three weeks from Karnataka government and the complainant, on whose plea the FIR was registered.

The court passed the orders on a plea by Mr. Krishna. The petition sought quashing of private complaint and probe by Lokayukta police against him over alleged illegal mining when he was Karnataka Chief Minister from 1999 to 2004. He had contended that the Cabinet decision was a collective one taken by 34 ministers and an individual cannot be held responsible for it.

The Karnataka High Court had earlier declined to quash the probe in the case. It had ordered that investigation should continue into offences relating to de-reservation of forest area in mineral-rich fragile zones.