JOIN USLokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao has refused to step down or go on leave, saying he cannot orphan the Lokayukta institution.
Justice Rao reportedly made this clear when a delegation from the Karnataka Right to Information Federation called on him on Tuesday. They also submitted a memorandum to him expressing their concern over the reports underlining that the anti-corruption body itself was steeped in corruption.
“It is deeply regretted to note that the office of the honourable Lokayukta is under the scanner on account of serious allegations of corruption against the staff of the office and also the son of the Lokayukta,” read the memorandum submitted by S Umapathi to the Lokayukta.
During the meeting, Umapathi asked Justice Rao to go on leave until the probe was completed, but the latter turned down the suggestion. He also refused to step down.
The Lokayukta said he cannot orphan the institution by stepping down, Umapathi told reporters. “Justice Rao said he believed that without the Lokayukta, the institution wouldn’t work,” Umapathi added.
The Federation has also written to the chief secretary asking him to invoke Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, to order a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the corruption charges. In his copy, which has been despatched to the President and the Prime Minister, Umapathi said, “Since the probe pertains to a high-level institution, the only suitable agency is the CBI, as endorsed by Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi, former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde and other prominent personalities.
It is submitted that there is no bar to hand over the matter to the CBI on the grounds that the office of the Lokayukta is autonomous.
What is required is the nature of allegation and not the nature of institution. Hence, our federation requests you to take steps to issue its consent for CBI probe.”