BENGALURU: Labhu Ram, chief investigating officer of Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Lokayukta scam, has been offered a lead role in a movie by none other than V Bhaskar, one of the accused in the scam!
Bhaskar, who puts on a nonchalant attitude during the course of the probe, has left investigating officials both entertained and confused. “You don’t have to worry about the money, sir. I will invest money in the movie if you agree to play the lead role,” Bhaskar reportedly told Labhu Ram while the latter was recording his statement.
When one of the officers, in jest, asked him about the lead actress for the movie, Bhaskar, according to official sources, named a woman IPS officer.
Apart from the two, he said he wants ADGP Kamal Pant in a guest role in which “only his feet will be visible.”
Bhaskar has irritated the officials somewhat by his inaccurate statements regarding the case.
According to one official, Bhaskar is naming officials who had not supported him in his illegal transactions.
“He gave false inputs on the amount of money extorted from officials by the other accused. If the extortion amount was `5 lakh, he would claim it was `25 lakh,” the official said. Due to the wrong information he has been providing, more than two dozen officials have been grilled for hours.
Bhaskar, who is currently under judicial custody, has turned out to be an entertainer in jail.
“He had requested jail authorities not to keep him alone in a cell, following which another accused in the case, Hotte Krishna, was accommodated with him.”
“He always wants to talk and appears happy in his cell,” the source added.
Bhaskar also introduced himself to the arrested IAS officer and former member (finance) Bangalore Development Authority, Sandeep Dash.
According to a counsel who had gone to the jail recently, Bhaskar introduced himself to the officer and told him that he could help him in his current troubles.
Bhaskar, who was housed next to multi-crore lottery scam accused Pari Rajan, also received tips from the latter about who and who not to consult in connection with his case.
When he was produced before the Lokayukta Special Court on Wednesday, Bhaskar said he would be better off in police than judicial custody. “Please take me to police custody again,” he said.
An SIT official wondered how his family tolerated him as even officials found it difficult to make him shut up.
He is said to have given a 28-page statement to the SIT, and his statement along with the chargesheet was submitted to the Lokayukta Special Court on Wednesday. His statement is expected to be significant for the probe.