BENGALURU: The anti-corruption watchdog of Karnataka, the Lokayukta, is facing its worst ever crisis since its formation. Riddled with controversies and unearthing of a major extortion racket involving the Lokayukta’s son Ashwin Rao, who has been arrested, the Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao has done the disappearing act and gone on long leave without handing over charge to his deputy the Upa Lokayukta.
The hallowed portals of this institution, which once spearheaded and exposed major corruption cases, has itself become a den for corruption where the anti-corruption agency staff, relatives and outsiders are allegedly involved.
Even as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the state government to probe into the matter, arrested Ashwin in Hyderabad on July 27, his father has gone on leave from July 27 to August 14. This is the first time he has gone on long leave after explosive charges of corruption and extortion surfaced in the second week of May.
The Lokayukta has neither responded to demands for his resignation nor heeded suggestions that he should go on leave. A former Chief Justice said he was just buying time as he fears arrest by the SIT. “If he weren’t afraid, he would have resigned long ago,” said the former Chief Justice. Several organisations in the state have been demanding his resignation or ouster.
Five persons who allegedly ran the racket from the Lokayukta’s office—Ashwin, Lokayukta’s PRO Syed Riyaz, realtor Ashok Kumar, journalist M B Srinivasa Gowda and his associate Shankare Gowda—are now in custody: .
Ashwin, said to be the mastermind of the extortion racket, is once again the prime accused in a fresh case filed on July 27 and has been remanded to police custody till August 6. Earlier, Ashwin was also the prime accused in the FIR registered by Lokayukta Superintendent of Police Sonia Narang of Bengaluru Division. However, he was not arrested in that case but was arrested later after public and social organisations accused SIT of shielding the Lokayukta’s son.
According to SIT Chief Investigating Officer Labhu Ram, Ashwin, who had used multiple mobile phones for extortion, was involved in many offences and investigators were now collecting evidence against him.
Syed Riyaz, who allegedly coordinated the racket, was handed over to the SIT by the Lokayukta Special Court. The accused allegedly obtained details of projects handled by government officials and blackmailed them for money. In one such case, they are accused of demanded Rs 1 crore from Executive Engineer M N Krishna Murthy after calling him over to the Lokayukta’s office.
Presently, work at the anti-corruption agency has been paralyzed with almost 1,000 cases of inquiry pending before the Lokayukta and around 4,000 cases before Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi. This apart, around 3,000 cases are pending before another Upa Lokayukta Justice SB Majage who retired on July 17.
Meanwhile, the Lokayukta is facing a new challenge: five senior officers want to move out. Morale is at its lowest ebb, and many of its top police officers want out. As many as five Lokayukta superintendents of police have sought no-objection certificates from ADGP Prem Shankar Meena, so that they could serve elsewhere. One of them told the Sunday Standard that the institution, once feared like a tiger, is running for cover like a rat. Another SP said, “It is 100 per cent true that morale has come down. It is embarrassing to remain in our posts.”
Justice Done and Served
Triggering a political storm that eventually cost former chief minister B S Yeddyurrappa his chair, the former ombudsman Justice N Santosh Hegde was responsible for exposing many corrupt real estate deals and mining scams in the state. Justice Hegde was appointed as Lokayukta of Karnataka on August 3, 2006 for a term of five years.
His report on illegal mining, running into 25,228 pages, uncovered major violations and systemic corruption in iron-ore mining areas of Bellary. The report indicted the involvement of politicians including B S Yeddyurappa, Reddy brothers and around 600 public servants. After this, the then Chief Minister Yeddyurappa, Tourism and Infrastructure Minister Janardan Reddy and Health and Family Welfare Minister B Sriramulu had to resign.
Hegde resigned as Lokayukta on June 23, 2010 in protest against the transfer of Deputy Conservator of Forests in Karwar R Gokul to Bannerghatta National Park, after he detected export of illegal iron ore stacked at Belekeri port. However, Justice Hegde withdrew his resignation after persuasion from BJP leader L K Advani.
The Trail
July 17: Lokayukta Registrar HR Deshpande resigns after accused of not providing CCTV footage to SIT
July 21: SIT arrested
Ashok Kumar, realtor in connection with the alleged extortion
July 22: SIT arrested a TV journalist Srinivasa Gowda, and his associate, an RTI activist Shankare Gowda.
July 26: Lokayukya PRO Syed Riyaz arrested from a clinic in Koramangala.
July 27: Lokayukta’s son Ashwin Yerabati was arrested from his house in Hyderabad.
July 30: Amendments to sack the Lokayukta
A Time for Change