Will crack whip on errant officials: Bengaluru Lokayukta Justice Shetty

Bengaluru: Taking charge as the new Lokayukta, former Karnataka High Court Judge, Justice P. Vishwanatha Shetty, on Saturday said that he will make all efforts to reinstate the people’s faith in the institution and would instil fear among errant government officials.

After the swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan, Justice Shetty visited the Lokayukta office on Saturday evening. He said that he will again strengthen the Lokayukta institution, which has been paralysed since the extortion scam in the institution came to light over a year ago.

“The institution has a lot to do even without investigating corruption. Every department is being administered badly and we still have so much to do to set the things right. We will make coordinated efforts to curb maladministration and instil fear among officials who are not working for the welfare of the people. I would rather say, such officials will have a tough time,” he warned.

He said that the people can approach directly with their grievances. “To beat maladministration, we need support and information from the public. With their cooperation, we can do wonders.”

‘Charges baseless’
When asked about the allegations that surfaced after the government recommended him for the Lokayukta post , Justice Shetty said, “Such baseless allegations dent an individual’s image and bring down the institution’s morale. If the media continues to do this, I will take legal action against them.”