A private complaint filed at the Lokayukta Special Court has questioned a clearance given by Lokayukta ADGP H N Satyanarayana Rao for the voluntary retirement (VRS) of former IAS officer Veerabhadraiah, despite cases pending against the latter.
The complaint filed by former Councillor Laxminarayana stated that Rao has not revealed anything to the government about the pending cases against him in the Lokayukta court. Veerabhadraiah’s retirement had been rejected twice earlier on these grounds.
Laxminarayana’s counsel M R Vijay Kumar claimed that Rao ensured that a favourable report reached the government, when his opinion was sought over allowing Veerabhadraiah to retire.
“The report sent by the ADGP states that cases against Veerabhadraiah are stayed at the High Court. The report suggests that he hid details about the cases pending. While one case is already chargesheeted, another case pertaining to 150 per cent disproportionate assets is about to be chargesheeted. But the ADGP gave this report and the state government cleared Veerabhadraiah’s VRS,” he outlined.
The day Veerabhadraiah’s VRS was cleared, he contested the Assembly election from Madhugiri constituency on a JD (S) ticket.
Kumar said: “The State government had rightly rejected Veerabhadraiah’s application seeking VRS on the grounds that there were serious allegations against him with the Lokayukta police. The officer filed representations to the CM once in October 2012, and againin December 2012,” he said.
Laxminarayana submitted a representation to the Chief Secretary detailing the cases pending against Veerabhadraiah.
He said both the ADGP and Veerabhadraiah should be booked for offenses under Sections 13 (1) (d)(ii) and (iii), 13 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act and other offenses under IPC.
The Lokayukta Special Court posted the complaint for further hearing to June 20.
Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao said he will review the complaint and take a decision.
Background
Veerabhadraiah joined government service in 1986 and was promoted to IAS cadre in 2011. Since the 2008 Assembly election, he had been seeking VRS. He had also offered not to take pensionary benefits. Veerabhadraiah was chargesheeted along with three other IAS officers in a case of illegal construction of an apartment on 7 acres and 12 guntas of land in Arekere village.