Karnataka Govt to let SIT probe ex-Ayukta

BENGALURU: There can be serious trouble for the former Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao after sources told this newspaper that the government may reportedly give its nod to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is investigating the alleged extortion and corruption racket in the Lokayukta, to prosecute Justice Rao in the First Information Report (FIR) 56/2015.

The FIR was registered by the Lokayukta police in July last year against former joint commissioner and public relations officer, Lokayukta Syed Riyazathullah, Ashok Kumar, Srinivasa Gowda, Shankare Gowda, V. Bhaskar alias 420 Bhaskar and Justice Rao’s son Y. Ashwin in the extortion racket. The case was later handed over to the SIT.

The SIT had sought permission from the government under Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to prosecute the former anti-corruption ombudsman and retired chief justice of Karnataka High Court.

“The 500-odd page document, which was submitted to the Chief Secretary 12 days ago under Section 197 of the CrPC, has documented details of the case with also proves alleged abetment to the corruption scandal by Justice Rao.

It is being examined by the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (DPAR) and will be sent to the Governor, who is the appointing authority after the government gives its nod to the SIT,” said and official source.

The SIT has sought government permission to chargesheet the former Lokayukta under the sections mentioned in the FIR against the accused, which include Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), Sections 384 (extortion) r/w 419 (punishment for impersonation), 420 (cheating) r/w 120b (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The SIT is also likely to chargesheet Justice Rao under Sections 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform) and 217 (public servant disobeying direction of law with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture) of the IPC.

Adi case: Impleading application filed

In a new twist to the ongoing case before the High Court with regard to the petition filed by Justice Subhash B Adi, challenging the motion adopted against him by the Assembly for his ouster as Upa Lokayukta, an impleading application has been filed over the alleged tampering on the webpage uploaded on the site of the Legislative Assembly on November 27, 2015.

The High Court on earlier occasion had expressed concern while seeking clarification over the allegation of tampering of the web-post in the official website of Karnataka Legislature - http://www.kla.kar.nic.in and further sought details of records in the web server.

Advocate K.V. Dhananjay said that now a High Court in this country is now faced with the task of finding out whether the transcript of the proceeding in the Legislative Assembly placed before it is forged. The application is likely
to be listed shortly in the High Court.