Karnataka Governor gives sanction to prosecute former Lokayukta Bhaskar Rao

Bengaluru: In an unprecedented move Governor Vajubhai Vala has sanctioned permission to the Special Investigation Team to prosecute the former Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao for allegedly abetting the multi-crore corruption racket in the Lokayukta, under Sec 197 of the CrPC in the FIR 56/2015.

The Governor’s sanction will pave way for the SIT to chargesheet the former Lokayukta under Sec 8, 9 and 10 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 119 (concealment by design by a public servant), 120 (criminal conspiracy) r/w 36, 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform) and 217 (a public servant disobeying direction of law with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture) among others of the Indian Penal Code. He will be the first judge in the country to be prosecuted. “He can even be arrested,” said an officer.

The SIT, which is investigating the alleged corruption scandal in the Lokayukta, had earlier sought permission from the government to prosecute the former Lokayukta and the state had accorded the team its sanction in March this year, following which the SIT had sought permission from the Governor, who is the appointing authority of the Lokayukta, to grant them sanction.

The FIR was registered by the Lokayukta police in July last year against former joint commissioner and PRO, Lokayukta, Syed Riyazathullah, Ashok Kumar, Srinivasa Gowda, Shankare Gowda, V. Bhaskar alias 420 Bhaskar and Justice Rao’s son Y. Ashwin in the extortion racket. Later, the case was transferred to the SIT.