Karnataka Lokayukta corruption case: Ashok remanded to judicial custody

BENGALURU: The Lokayukta Special Court on Monday remanded Ashok Kumar, an accused in the Lokayukta corruption case, to judicial custody till August 14. As Ashok Kumar’s police custody ended on Monday, Special Investigation Team (SIT) officials produced him before the court on Monday morning.

As the officials did not seek further extension of Ashok’s police custody, the court remanded him to judicial custody. Later, he was taken to Parappana Agrahara central prison. Of the five arrested in the case, three – M B Srinivasa Gowda, Shankara Gowda and Ashok Kumar – have been remanded to judicial custody till August 14.\

The prime accused, Ashwin Yerabati – son of Lokayuktak Justice Bhaskar Rao, and Lokayukta Joint Commissioner (PRO) Syed Riyaz are still in police custody. Ashwin’s police custody ends on August 6, while Riyaz’s on August 5.

Meanwhile, Lokayukta Judge V.G .Bopaiah adjourned the hearing of bail petitions of all the accused. Ashwin’s bail petition related to the case filed by P.B. Channabasappa has been adjourned till August 6, while his anticipatory bail plea in connection with the case filed by Executive Engineer M.N. Krishnamurthy will be heard on Tuesday.

The court has also adjourned the hearing of the bail petitions of other accused till Wednesday.

SIT objects to bail for accused

Special Public Prosecutor K. Janardhan filed objections to the bail petitions filed by all the five accused. “The SIT has collected clinching evidence against all the accused in the case and the court should not grant them bail. The investigation so far has revealed that Ashok was contacting government officials at the behest of Riyaz and was demanding money from them. The SIT has managed to procure the telephone conversation between Riyaz and Ashok. Accused Srinivasa Gowda was getting details about government officials through RTI and based on the details, the extortion calls were made. The SIT has enough evidence to prove Ashwin’s involvement in the racket,” the SPP submitted before the court, requesting it to not grant bail to any accused in the case.