BENGALURU: The High Court on Tuesday asked executive engineer M N Krishnamurthy, the complainant in the Lokayukta extortion case, to report to duty at the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation office in Bengaluru, where he is posted presently.
Declining to grant an interim order, a vacation bench of Justices Anand Byrareddy and Ravi Malimath asked Krishnamurthy to report to duty as hearing on his petition is pending.
“The petitioner has already completed minimum two years’ tenure as executive engineer in Bengaluru Rural Zilla Panchayat and has also been given a posting on April 28,” the bench noted.
Krishnamurthy had challenged the order of Karnataka Administrative Tribunal, which dismissed his petition on April 23, on the grounds that the transfer order dated April 21 has been approved by the Chief Minister, as required under the rules.
However, KAT had directed the state government to give a posting to him. Accordingly, a posting was given to him. Previously, the government had transferred Krishnamurthy from the Zilla Panchayat, without giving him any posting.
In his petition, Krishnamurthy contended that one Srinivas, who has been transferred in his place, was promoted and he could have been given a post that was vacant. He also claimed that this transfer has been effected during the middle of academic year.
Krishnamurthy had approached the then Lokayukta Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru division, Sonia Narang, and informed her about the extortion racket running in the Lokayukta.
This led to the arrest of accused Ashwin Rao, son of then Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao, and others.
Plea Alleges Parameshwara Holds Office of Profit
The High Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing on a petition seeking directions to disqualify Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara as member of the Legislative Council on the charges of holding an office of profit.
A vacation bench of Justice Ravi Malimath adjourned hearing of the case to June saying that there was no urgency in the matter. According to the petition, Parameshwara is Joint Secretary of Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education, a deemed university, and also chairman of the board of management of the institution.
“Being president of the state Congress unit also has benefits and concessions from the state and central governments. In the name of imparting professional education, he also obtains government grants,” the petitioner contended.
Appeal Against Pontiff’s Release
A rape victim has filed an appeal against the discharge of Raghaveshwara Bharathi, pontiff of Sri Ramachandrapura Mutt, in a rape case. Justice Anand Byrareddy clubbed the criminal revision petition filed by the victim, a Ramakatha singer, against the Sessions Court order. The state government had filed a criminal revision petition against the Court order dropping the charges against the pontiff.