Karnataka Lokayukta corruption case: Governor signs bill to remove Ayukta
Bengaluru: With Governor Vajubhai Vala signing the bill, enabling the legislature to remove the Lokayukta, the countdown for removing present Lokayukta, Justice Bhaskar Rao, whose son has been arrested on charges of corruption, has begun.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra told reporters on Monday that the Governor has signed three major bills, including the one concerning the removal of the Lokayukta, regularisation of unauthorised constructions in revenue lands rural areas and regularisation of unauthorised constructions on government lands in urban areas.
The government will issue a notification, making these the law, on Monday night itself. With this, the ball on the removal of the Lokayukta moves to the legislators’ court. If one-third of legislators sign a motion and hand it over to the Speaker, the process to remove Justice Rao will begin. Once the process starts, the Lokayukta will not be allowed to function till a decision is taken in this regard, he said.
The Governor also signed the bill regularising unauthorised constructions on revenue lands in rural areas. The government has prepared the guidelines and those who have constructed houses on 50x80 sqft plots in rural areas also can apply for regularisation. The last date for application has been extended till December 31, he said.
The other bill cleared is the regularisation of unauthorised construction of buildings on government lands in urban areas, including Bengaluru. The government will issue the guidelines after the BBMP elections, he said.
Ashwin’s bail rejected, Bhaskar 420 sent to jail
The Lokayukta Special Court on Monday rejected bail applications of Ashwin Yerabati, the prime accused in the Lokayukta corruption case and Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao’s son and extended his judicial custody till August 27.
Ashwin had filed an anticipatory bail petition in connection with the case filed by Executive Engineer M.N. Krishnamurthy and a regular bail petition related to the case filed by P.B. Channabasappa, in which case he was arrested. The prosecution had filed its objection opposing bail to the accused, saying he could tamper with evidence and threaten witnesses as he was influential.
The court had reserved the order for Monday. When the case came up for hearing on Monday morning, Judge V.G. Bopaiah dismissed both the bail petitions citing it was not appropriate to grant him bail at this juncture as the investigation was not completed yet. Ashwin’s counsel has now decided to move High Court seeking the bail.
SIT officials produced V. Bhaskar alias 420 Bhaskar before the court, as his police custody ended on Monday. The court remanded him to judicial custody till August 27.
7th accused held
The SIT officials arrested seventh person in connection with the complaint filed by KPCC member and industrialist P.N. Krishnamurthy. The police arrested, Sadik, from Orion Mall in Rajajinagar on Sunday.
