'Lokayukta PRO owns hotel in Dubai'

BJP MLC G Madhusudan alleged that Lokayukta public relations officer Syed Riyaz, one of the accused in the extortion racket in the Lokayukta, is such a wealthy man that he owns a hotel worth Rs 300 crore in Dubai.

 Participating in a debate on corruption in the Lokayukta institution in the Legislative Council, Madhusudhan also wondered how Riyaz who had joined the institution as an SI-ranking official, had been promoted to the IG rank. Also, he remained in the same post ever since his appointment. Madhusudhan alleged that Riyaz had gone on leave ever since his name surfaced in the corruption charges in Lokayukta institution.  “He has gone to Dubai on the pretext of celebrating festival,” he added.

Madhusudan said that the prime accused Y Ashwin, and his associates carried out their extortion deals in various hotels in Bengaluru, aside from the conference hall in the Lokayukta building, and Bhaskar Rao’s official residence. He said that gullible government officers/officials were asked to come to hotels like J W Marriott, Atria, Le Meridien, Ashoka, Taj West End, and Ibis.

He said that as many as 40 IAS officers including three to four principal secretaries, an additional chief secretary, Bengaluru deputy commissioner, chief engineers, sub-registrars, and executive engineers across the State were targeted by the accused.

He demanded that the government handover the monitoring of the special investigation team (SIT) investigation of the corruption in the Lokayukta, to the High Court or the CBI. He said that as the police officers probing the matter belonged to the Karnataka cadre, they were automatically under the “mercy” of the State government/chief minister.