High Court stays Lokayukta probe against MCC officer

The High Court on Monday stayed the investigation by Lokayukta police against a zonal commissioner of the Mysore City Corporation. The Lokayukta had raided him and begun an investigation against him.

The Lokayukta had raided the officer, Ravi Kumar, and registered an FIR against him on June 30, 2014, following a complaint by K T Mathew who claimed that the suspect was demanding bribe from the public and would keep their work pending if the demand was not met.

The raid was carried out on the premises of Nagaraika Seva Kendra at Gayathripuram in Mysore, where Kumar worked as Zonal Commissioner, and Rs 3,770 in cash recovered from him. He was subsequently booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Kumar petitioned the High Court, contending that the FIR was vague and general and there were no specific allegations against him. His counsel, H S Chandramouli, termed the seizure of money from Kumar illegal, and said that the denomination and the number of notes seized were not forthcoming in the Mahazar.

The counsel further stated that mere possession of money by a public servant was not an offence unless such money was believed to tainted, and claimed that the investigation officer had abruptly come to conclusion that the said money was ill-gotten.

He demanded that the proceedings against Kumar be quashed. Justice Jawad Rahim, who heard the matter, stayed the investigation against the officer.