SIT seeks govt nod to prosecute former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao
BENGALURU: The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the alleged multi-crore extortion and corruption rackets in the Lokayukta, has finally sought government permission to prosecute former Lokayukta Justice Y. Bhaskar Rao in the alleged scandal and for dereliction of duty among several other charges.
The SIT has sent a letter requesting government permission to the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (DP&AR), sources told this newspaper.
The letter, which was sent 10 days ago, is being examined by the DP&AR before they submit it to the Chief Secretary, the Chief Minister and finally the Governor, who is the ultimate authority to grant or deny permission to prosecute the former Lokayukta.
“The DP&AR two days ago received the letter from the SIT seeking permission to prosecute former Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao. The letter is being examined for further procedure,” said an official source. Though the letter is yet to be submitted to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his approval, he has been informed about the development.
“It is too early and difficult to confirm whether the CM will grant his approval before it is sent to the Governor for his sanction to prosecute Justice Rao," the officer added.
The SIT has reportedly charged Justice Rao with abetting the alleged extortion and corruption rackets, which were reportedly run by his son Y. Ashwin, who is the prime accused in all the five First Information Reports (FIRs) and subsequent chargesheets that have been submitted by the SIT.
Though Justice Rao has been enlisted as a witness in three of the five cases, the SIT will chargesheet him after the government grants them sanction to do so. “There is a provision in law that anyone, including a complainant, can be chargesheeted in a case even if his name does not appear in the FIR, provided the investigating team has sufficient prosecutable evidence against him," the officer added source on condition of anonymity.
The SIT sleuths had grilled the former Lokayukta in September last year at his residence in Hyderabad, while he was on leave, and had recorded his statement as a witness. Justice Rao had reportedly told the investigating officers that he had no personal knowledge of the racket that was allegedly operated by his son in connivance with the former joint commissioner and public relations officer, Lokayukta, Syed Riyaz, and other accused, including V. Bhaskar, Ashok Kumar, M.B. Sivarame Gowda and V. Shankare Gowda. The team has arrested 11 accused in the case so far.
The corruption scandal unfolded in May last year, when the then superintendent of police (city wing) Sonia Narang had sent a written complaint to the Lokayukta after Bengaluru urban Zilla Panchayat executive engineer M.N. Krishnamurthy complained to her about it. The SP had later registered the first FIR - 56/1158 in the special Lokayukta court.
The case was handed over to the SIT after Justice Rao wrote to the government that the probe should be handed to an external agency and not the Lokayukta police.
