BENGALURU: The citizens’ group that put the state’s anti-corruption ombudsman under the scanner is approaching Governor Vajubhai Vala against Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao’s decision to hand over the investigations to the city police.
Janaadhikara Sangharsh Parishath (JSP) members will meet Upa Lokayukta Subhash K Adi on Monday and later disclose their plans to bring to book the extortionists who allegedly used the Lokayukta’s name.
Speaking to Express, Adarsh R Iyer, one of the trustees of the group, wondered how Bhaskar Rao could pick and choose the investigators when his family was in the dock.
Rao on Friday announced he was calling in the Central Crime Branch, a unit of the city police, to investigate the charges that his home-office was used to threaten officials and collect bribes to hush up corruption cases.
“When there is an investigation wing within the Lokayukta and Sonia Narang was investigating the charges, how could Bhaskar Rao order a probe by the CCB? Our demand is that Narang continue the probe, or the CBI be called in,” Iyer said. Narang is Superintendent of Police in the Lokayukta.
Iyer said it was not proper to give the case to the CCB as a Lokayukta case was pending against an uncle of CCB Joint Commissioner Chandrashekar (Crime).
“The CID is not an option either because a Lokayukta case is pending against Hemanth Nimbalkar, its DIG,” an official of the Lokayukta said.
Lokayukta Rao’s decision to transfer the investigation came at a time a team led by Sonia Narang had achieved a major breakthrough.
According to sources, she was approached by many revenue and engineering officials who revealed murky details about how three touts made them pay huge amounts. Sonia Narang had begun investigating the charges following an order from Justice Adi on June 24. Within two days, about half-a-dozen officials met her and told her Krishna Rao alias Narasimha Rao, Sadiq and Bhaskar had claimed to be agents for the Lokayukta.
It came to light that the agents would call officials in plum positions to the home-office of Bhaskar Rao and negotiate bribes. A Lokayukta official used to be present, sources said. The touts have allegedly collected several crore from 15 officials. The amount may go up if investigations continue.
The extortionists had made calls using SIM cards obtained with the help of fake names and addresses.
When the investigation had achieved a breakthrough and the sleuths were set to arrest Krishna Rao, the Lokayukta announced he was handing over the case to the City Crime Branch. All three accused have switched off their mobile phones. Adi had called one of the investigating officers to know about the progress of the investigation on Thursday. Bhaskar Rao transferred the probe to the CCB soon after he came to know about the development, and held a press conference on Friday.
Chandrashekar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Central Crime Branch, said he had written to Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao, informing him about the case pending against his father-in-law Ramanjaneyulu. He said he was not recusing himself from investigating the charges of extortion in the Lokayukta, but it was his duty to make the disclosure.
However, Bhaskar Rao told Express that he had not received any communication from Chandrashekar. Ramanjaneyulu’s case is pending before the Lokayukta Special Court, and not with the Lokayukta, he said.
Adi’s Anguish
Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi said the institution was more important than the individual, and the Lokayukta’s reputation had to be salvaged. “People should have faith in the agency to which such an investigation is given,” he told Express. In this case, the CCB, which comes under the supervisory gaze of the Lokayukta, should not be asked to investigate, he said. “I will return to office on Monday and look into it,” Adi said.