BENGALURU: The Karnataka Lokayukta has issued a comprehensive circular specifying the responsibilities and works of its police wings in all districts across the state, including the steps to be taken for execution of summons, considering accused have been acquitted in many criminal cases since the witnesses have not turned up in courts.
Revisiting in detail 25 specific works to be carried out by the police wings, the Lokayukta Registrar has also provided a format in which the works carried out by the respective police wing headed by an SP should be submitted to the Addl DGP (Lokayukta), who in turn will submit to the Lokayukta.
Without any comprehensive circular, there was confusion about the specific duties of the police wings in the districts. Doubts have also crept in as the directions issued by the Lokayukta HQ from time to time
were not properly maintained, the circular said.
It was also directed that investigation of all pending criminal cases must be concluded speedily which were registered, before the state government withdrew the powers under the Prevention of Corruption Act from Lokayukta on March 14, 2016.
Regarding the cases registered under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act with regard to maladministration, the SPs are directed to conclude the investigation within the time prescribed by the Lokayukta or Upa Lokayuktas, and submit the report.
As the people face difficulty coming to the district police wing from taluks to file complaints, it was directed that police Inspector or an officer above the rank of an Inspector visit the taluk once in a month to receive complaints, giving information of the visit 5 days in advance.
It also asked the police officers to visit the government hostels, hospitals, schools, all government departments, and local bodies frequently and protect water bodies.