Ashok was Krishna Rao: SIT

SIT sources told Deccan Chronicle that Ashok, who was working with a security agency before turning into a realtor, confessed before the investigators that he introduced himself as Krishna Rao to the complainant. “It is established that Ashok was also using the name, but we have not concluded yet whether he was the only one in the gang to use this name. We suspect that even the other gang members used that name to carry out the extortion racket,” an official said.

Ashok reportedly told the investigators that on the day Mr Krishnamurthy was made to come to the Lokayukta office, Ashok was trying to strike a deal with him. “Krishnamurthy was insistent on knowing the credentials, and Ashok told him that he was very close to the Lokayukta, Justice Bhaskar Rao. When, Mr Krishnamurthy insisted on knowing his name, Ashok was prompted by another accused V Bhaskar, who was also present there, to introduce himself as Krishna Rao. Ashok told his name was Krishna Rao and Krishnamurthy believed him,” the official said.

It is also learnt that Ashok was using multiple SIM cards to contact government officials and to extort money from them. “He confessed that he threw the SIM card used to contact Mr Krishnamurthy near Raj Bhavan. On Saturday evening, a team took him near Raj Bhavan and conducted a spot inspection. The SIM card, however, could not be found,” the official said.

After his arrest, Ashok regretted being part of the extortion racket, the official said. “He is repenting now. He has told us that he should have not done it. Even the other accused, Shankare Gowda, has realised his mistake. But Srinivasa Gowda has no signs of regret,” the official said.