BENGALURU:Former MLC and senior advocate A K Subbaiah has urged the state government not to dismantle the Lokayukta, but to empower it to fight against corruption.
Ever since the alleged extortion scam in the Lokayukta came to light, complaints lodged with the anti-corruption watchdog have not proceeded, Subbaiah told reporters on Wednesday.
“Now, it is not functioning. Some people indulging in corruption, especially political leaders, are happy with this,” he said.
Further, Subbaiah said the government now is making an attempt to decimate the Lokayukta.
“This is nothing but to shut the institution itself. (JD-S state president) H D Kumaraswamy says he will join hands with the BJP to oust the Lokayukta. One should be careful before joining hands with them.”
Subbaiah criticised former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde for demanding Justice Bhaskar Rao’s arrest. “The (suspended) PRO who was arrested now was also in the same post when Hegde was Lokayukta. The then SP Madhukar Shetty had written to Hegde about the corruption. But he did nothing.”
The team now accused of being involved in extortion was there during Hegde’s time too. Does it mean that Hegde too should have been arrested? he asked.