Three inspectors in Lokayukta police not averse to transfers

They had been threatened after FIR against Ashwin Rao

Three inspectors attached to the Lokayukta police (Bengaluru City) have submitted no objection certificates (NoCs) to the authorities, requesting that they be transferred back to the police department.

Sources said senior officials in the police wing had threatened them with consequences, following the registration of a first information report (FIR) against Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao’s son Ashwin Rao on Wednesday.

Proceedings by both Lokayukta Rao and Upalokayukta Justice S B Majage, on June 26, had restricted the Lokayukta police from entertaining any complaints against the ombudsman staff. The proceedings stated, “As the matter pertains to allegations against the office of the Lokayukta itself, the police wing of the Lokayukta shall not entertain or enquire into any such complaint or any other related to this matter.”

A police officer, on condition of anonymity, asked whether anyone would now take up a complaint lodged against a Lokayukta official for corruption.

“It was only on June 26 that we came to know about an enquiry order issued to the IGP. When the investigation was started on June 24, after the Upalokayukta’s order, there were differences among the officers.

Moreover, if an official continues to work in the Lokayukta police, then there could be an adverse report in the Annual Confidential Report,” an official said.

Another official said the order by the Lokayukta to the police not to entertain any complaint against the Lokayukta staff violated Section 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

“The police wing is an independent wing in the Lokayukta institution. There has been no interference by the Lokayukta or Upalokayuktas in the past. When there is a sudden order not to act upon complaints by the public, it demoralises the police department. In fact, three officials had filed the NoC some time ago and after the recent fiasco, three more have filed NoC,” the official said.

Meanwhile, Lokayukta registrar (in-charge) Balakrishna spent almost the whole day in a closed-door meeting with the Lokayukta. The police officials were waiting for a legal opinion on the next course of action on the High Court order. Later in the evening, an unsigned order by Assistant Registrar (Enquiries)-2 was circulated to the media, which stated that the police can take up investigation into a cognisable offence.

The unsigned order stated, “By virtue of this (High Court) order, neither the Lokayukta nor the Upalokayukta can direct in-house investigation henceforth, in respect of the subject matter (case against Ashwin). Barring this, there is no other legal or statutory bar for conducting investigation into a cognisable offence by a police officer.”

 However, no official in the Lokayukta confirmed issuance of this order. Moreover, there has been no decision on the next course of action on the High Court order.