Karnataka Lokayukta corruption case: Three held are ‘foot soldiers’

BENGALURU: Within 48 hours of first arrest, of Ashok Kumar on Monday, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is investigating the alleged corruption scandal in the Lokayukta, on Wednesday arrested two more accused - Shankare Gowda and Srinivasa Gowda, former vernacular television journalists and 'RTI activists' in the multi-crore extortion racket in the Lokayukta.

"The three are foot soldiers and part of the big chain of players in the racket. The SIT is on the verge of cracking the case and will soon pick up the big players. Ashok has revealed a lot of information on the nexus and the modus operandi of the gang," said official sources.

Ashok, Shankare and Srinivasa were allegedly close to Lokayukta's son Ashwin Y. They used to call government officers from various mobile phone numbers after the latter extracted information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act on the government funds, which may have been released to departments for various public projects. "They would call the nodal officer and threaten that they would expose him in an anti-corruption raid for embezzling government funds, if he didn't pay them protection money. Many a times officers would fall in the trap and pay them huge bribes, but there were occasions when an officer has refused to buckle under their blackmail. Their other victims included officers, who were on the verge of retirement and chief engineers of various departments were on their hit list," said the officer.

No notices to accused

The SIT is likely to pick up the major players in the alleged multi-crore extortion and corruption scam in the Lokayukta as and when they get credible evidence against them, said official sources.

"The team will not send notices to the accused. They are not witnesses," they added. Ashok Kumar, who was arrested on Monday evening, has reportedly provided lot of information to the sleuths, who are investigating the scam.

Attendance book sought

The SIT has sought for attendance log book along with the biometric attendance of all the officials in the Lokayukta (the police and judicial wings) for the last three months. They have also asked for the visitors' log book for the same duration and the official telephone numbers of the officials in the anti corruption institution.

Official getting abusive calls

The Deputy Registrar, Gopalkrishna Rai, who is also the public information officer in the Lokayukta, has reportedly been getting abusive calls from some RTI activists, who have sought for classified information under the RTI Act.

Lokayukta’s son issued notice by SIT: Sources

Unconfirmed sources claimed that the Special Investigating Team (SIT) has issued notice to Ashwin Y, son of Lokayukta Y. Bhaskar Rao, to present himself before the investigating officials before July 25.

However, speaking to this newspaper, Soumendu Mukherji denied of any such notice being send to the son of Lokayukta adding that the investigations are underway in the right direction.

‘Riyaz’s move violates service rules’

Joint Commissioner, Public Relations, Lokayukta Syed Riyazathullah, who was on leave from July 1 to July 17 for a pilgrimage has allegedly violated his leave condition. "He had applied for leave last month to go to Mecca and Madina. The government in accordance with service rules had granted him commuted leave on condition that he would neither extend it nor would he resign from service at the end of the leave. On July 20 a constable with the City Armed Reserve (CAR) hand delivered Riyaz's application for leave extension to the officiating registrar M.S. Balakrishna, from July 20 to July 31 on the grounds that he was physically indisposed and mentally disturbed about his name appearing in the media reports in the Lokayukta corruption scandal. He has been told to reapply for extension because he has violated the leave condition. It will then be put up before the Lokayukta for sanction," said an officer on condition of anonymity.

Amendments may weaken act

In the guise of strengthening the Lokayukta, the ruling Congress government is all set to weaken the institution. In the draft bill, which is likely to be tabled in both the Houses on Thursday, the state government has proposed 11 amendments to the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, 1984.

The ongoing crisis in the Lokayukta may tempt one to look into the changes proposed for removal of Lokayukta, but a deeper scrutiny of the draft indicates that the government has used this opportunity to weaken the institution.

According to sources, the government has proposed to amend Section 6 of the Act, which says “the Lokayukta or an Upalokayukta shall be removed by an order of the Governor on the grounds of proven misbehavior or incapacity after an inquiry made by the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court or as the case may be, by such other judge of the high court as may be nominated by the chief justice on his behalf, in which the Lokayukta or Upalokayukta had been informed of the charges against him and given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in respect of those charges.”

As per the government proposal the action for removal can be initiated by “the Governor after the receipt of a petition signed by at least one-third of the members of the Assembly or one-third of the members of the Legislative Council, as the case may be, and after considering such other material he deems fit. The Lokayukta or the Upalokayukta, in respect of whom a reference had been made to the high court of Karnataka under sub-sec (1) should be precluded from taking any action or passing any orders in respect of any complaints pending before him during the pendency of the process of removal.