Bribery scandal: Karnataka Lokayukta's son remanded to 10-day SIT custody

Bengaluru: The Lokayukta court on Tuesday sent Karnataka Lokayukta Bhaskar Rao's son to 10-day SIT custody in connection with a bribery scandal that has brought the anti-graft institution under a cloud. The prosecution had submitted before judge G V Bopaiah that it was necessary for the SIT to keep Ashwin Rao in custody for at least 14 days, to arrive at the truth.

The image of Lokayukta institution had taken a beating due to the bribery scandal and it was necessary for SIT to obtain Ashwin's custody to arrive at the truth and erase the disrepute brought to the anti-graft agency, prosecution said.

On the other hand, the defence counsel pleaded that his client should not be remanded because there is no documentary evidence to prove his guilt, except telling the other accused to do "the needful."

It was also submitted that the very nature of Rao's arrest raised a serious question because SIT officials were at his Hyderabad residence two and half hours earlier to the filing of the FIR.

Rao was arrested in Hyderabad on Monday in connection with the alleged extortion racket, which has led to calls for resignation of the Lokayukta who has, however, been insisting he would quit only if wrongdoing by his son was proved.

The Lokayukta's son was arrested based on an FIR filed against him by an executive engineer that he was asked to pay Rs 1 crore to avoid a raid.