BENGALURU: IPS officer Srinath Mahadev Joshi appeared before the Karnataka Lokayukta police on Tuesday for inquiry over his alleged links with the dismissed head constable Ningappa Savanth, who allegedly collected crores of rupees from several state government officials by leaking information of possible raids against them, after obtaining information from his ‘sources’ within the Karnataka Lokayukta.
Joshi appeared before the investigating officer in response to the notice issued to him in connection with the First Information Report (FIR) registered against Ningappa Savanth by the Lokayukta police. The Lokayukta police have recorded his statement, sources said.
Joshi moved the high court after he received the notice from the Lokayukta police on the ground that the copy of the complaint and the FIR were not served to him along with the notice.
Therefore, the high court on July 8 permitted the Lokayukta police to issue a fresh notice to him, granting 10 days' time to appear for the investigation. Accordingly, the Lokayukta police issued a fresh notice to him.
Anticipatory bail plea:
Meanwhile, Joshi filed the anticipatory bail petition before the Special Court for Lokayukta Cases, apprehending arrest by the Lokayukta police. The court will hear the bail plea after the filing of the objections by the Lokayukta police.
Joshi, who was Superintendent of Police (Bengaluru City Division-1), Karnataka Lokayukta, was relieved from the anti-corruption watchdog after the case had come to light.
Preliminary investigations had revealed that Ningappa had invested several crores of rupees in cryptocurrency in his own name, and that of his wife and certain IPS officers. However, Ningappa had challenged the legality of the registration of the crime before the high court, which reserved the verdict.