BENGALURU: THE Lokayukta Special Court on Saturday rejected a plaint seeking directions to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) or the High Grounds Police to conduct investigation and submit report against a person who allegedly offered a bribe to Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee.
Two city-based RTI activists, S Bhaskaran and Jayakumar Hiremath, had filed a private complaint before the Lokayukta Special Court after High Grounds police refused to register a complaint and conduct probe into the matter. The police had suggested to the activists to find remedy in the courts of law.
Special court judge Gopal observed that relief cannot be granted merely based on the media reports as there are no materials in support of the claims of the petitioners.
Jayakumar Hiremath, one of the petitioners, told Express that they will file now an appeal before the High Court.
On July 5, Chief Justice Mukherjee had disclosed during the hearing of a revision petition filed by Umrah Developers that a Bengali-speaking person had visited his official residence on Palace Road on July 4 and offered bribe seeking a favourable judgment. A division bench headed by the CJ had also dismissed PIL filed by city-based advocate G R Mohan seeking directions to the High Court Registrar to evolve proper guidelines prevent such incidents.
The Information Officer of the High Court also informed one of the RTI activists that there is no visiting card/business card available in their office. It was also informed that the CCTV is not installed in the residence of Chief Justice and hence furnishing of footage does not arise.