SIT officer spends 3 hours at Karnataka Lokayukta office, collects information

BENGALURU: The Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed to probe the alleged corruption scam in the Lokayukta, is collecting information from the Lokayukta police officials. DCP Labhu Ram, an SIT member, spent nearly three hours at the Lokayukta office on Monday.

It is said that Mr Ram met Lokayukta ADGP Prem Shankar Meena and SP Sonia Narang and collected details from them about the case. He also took some documents related to the case from them.

Mr Ram was informed that the accused not only extorted money from Bengaluru Urban ZP Executive Engineer Krishnamurthy, but also had called several other government officials in the PWD, BBMP, BDA, Revenue and other departments.

Notice to Krishnamurthy?

It is said the SIT has issued a notice to Mr Krishnamurthy, who exposed the scam. Sources said that he has been asked to appear before the investigators and give his statement. But official sources neither confirmed nor denied it. Meanwhile, the government has provided office facility for the SIT on the CID premises, sources said.

Hegde meets Speaker at vidhan Soudha

Former Lokayukta Justice Santosh N. Hegde met Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa in Vidhana Soudha on Monday. The meeting assumed significance as Justice Hegde has been demanding a CBI investigation into the corruption scandal at the Lokayukta institution and immediate resignation of Lokayukta Justice Y. Bhaskar Rao.

Sources said that Justice Hegde explained to Mr Thimmappa the legal ramifications of allowing or not allowing a debate on corruption charges against Justice Rao’s son, Ashwin, on the floor of the House. “Justice Hegde also gave details of the legal steps that needed to be taken by the government while ordering the CBI probe into the scandal,” the sources said.

Mr Thimmappa refused to give any details of the meeting. “It is a private meeting. I don’t want to share anything to the media,” he said.

Ayukta cannot remain in office another single day, says MP

Karnataka’s Lokayukta is one of the most respected, credible institutions known for its unrelenting efforts at improving governance by targeting corruption in the government. It is most unfortunate that the head of such an institution is accused of grave charges of corruption and encouraging extortion, thereby rendering a body blow to the credibility of the institution and people’s immense trust in it, said MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

Lokayukta Bhaskar Rao cannot remain in the office even for a single day and I support former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hedge’s demand for immediate resignation or removal of the Lokayukta, he said.

Citizens’ faith and the sanctity of the Lokayukta institution, considered a model anti-corruption watchdog for the rest of the country, has been severely compromised and we must not allow further slide. On its part, the state government must come clean on the charges of supporting the corrupt and backing the tainted Lokayukta to save its skin and must immediately hand over the case to CBI for an impartial inquiry, he said.

Protesters demand Ayukta's resignation

Members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) protested in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Maurya Circle on Monday morning, demanding the resignation of Lokayukta Justice Y. Bhaskar Rao for his son’s alleged involvement in corruption in the Lokayukta institution.

They accused BJP leader and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar of being involved in the scam and said that was the reason he was not raising the issue in the Assembly. Follow up on Lokayukta corruption - A student organization held a protest alleging that BJP leader Jagadish Shettar was also involved which was why he was not raising the issue in the Assembly.