'Corrupt in Lokayukta extorted money from many IAS officers'

Corrupt elements in the office of the Karnataka Lokayukta didn’t just target low-ranking bureaucrats; they extorted money even from senior IAS officers, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy has claimed.

Speaking about corruption in the Lokayukta, he explained to the Legislative Assembly the modus operandi reportedly used by corrupt elements in the Lokayukta. According to Kumaraswamy, two touts—Bhaskar and Rajashekar—had befriended Ashwin Rao, the son of Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao. They targeted government officials as per a list made by Revenue Minister V Srinivas Prasad’s private secretary, Nagaraj. The Lokayukta’s Public Relations Officer, Syed Riyazullah, is involved too, the former chief minister suggested.

Kumaraswamy claimed that many senior IAS officers sitting in the media gallery in the Assembly had paid up. His contention prompted many Congress and BJP members to demand that he name the IAS officers. But the JD(S) leader refused to reveal the names, saying that would “embarrass” the government.

Kumaraswamy didn’t just stop at that. He went on to state that Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee recently held a meeting with the principal secretary to the chief minister and other officials to discuss corruption in the Lokayukta. Many officials were transferred at this meeting, according to him. He demanded that the government disclose full details of the meeting.

BJP for CBI probe
The principal opposition party, the BJP, has demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the accusations against the Lokayukta. Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Jagadish Shettar, suggested that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) could not probe into the accusations. The Lokayukta should own moral responsibility and step down, Shettar asserted.

Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, however, turned down the demand for CBI probe, saying the government was not empowered to hand over this case to the CBI, as per section 80 of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act.

When BJP members demanded that the Lokayukta Act be amended to empower the government to order a CBI probe, Siddaramaiah said that laws could not be amended in a hurry.

According to the chief minister, Justice (retd) Rao had written to the government, stating that the matter of corruption in the ombudsman’s office be investigated by an officer of the rank of the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP). Hence, the government formed the SIT under ADGP Kamal Pant, he added.

Siddaramaiah further said that the government was planning to bring in comprehensive amendments to the Karnataka Lokayukta Act on the lines of the Lokpal. But BJP members remained unsatisfied with this reply and staged a walkout.

Speaking to the media later, Kumaraswamy said that the government had made all preparations to bury the case.

“When I raised the issue in the Legislative Assembly, the chief minister was silent. He would not have allowed me to speak, if there was no mistake on his part,” Kumaraswamy said. Nearly 20 higher officials gave money to the persons in Lokayukta institution, and probe should be conducted into this also, he added.