JOIN USIn an embarrassment to the ruling Congress in the State, Legislative Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa on Saturday said he was not convinced with evidences furnished to him along with a petition seeking the removal of Upalokayukta (II) Justice Subash Adi.
“No, the available evidences are not convincing. The evidences are not enough to prove the charges of favouritism against him (Justice Adi). There is a need for more evidences. I am trying to gather them (evidences),” he said in reply to a question whether he was convinced with the petition given by the Congress.
He was speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with Special Investigation Team (SIT) chief ADGP Kamal Pant, who is probing the charges of corruption in the Karnataka Lokayukta.
The Legislative Assembly recently admitted two separate motions seeking the removal of Lokayukta justice Y Bhaskar Rao and justice Adi. While the motion seeking the removal of Justice Rao was moved by the opposition BJP and JD(S), the ruling Congress moved the motion against Justice Adi.
Kagodu further said though prima facie the charges against Justice Adi appear true, the evidences furnished to him are not enough to prove them.
“We should be careful before forwarding the petitions to the Karnataka High Court Chief Justice. We have to substantiate all the charges. So, I am conducting an exhaustive verification of all the documents. I do not want to take any hasty decision,” the Speaker stated.
Asked whether he will drop the petition pertaining to the removal of Justice Adi if he fails to gather sufficient evidences, the Speaker said he is holding meetings with the officials concerned for collecting all information. Appropriate decision will be taken based on the evidences, he added.
On the petition seeking the removal of Lokayukta Justice Rao, he said he has been verifying both the petitions and that he would take one more week to write to the Chief Justice urging him to conduct a probe. Kagodu, however, refused to divulge any information on his meeting with the SIT chief.
The Congress has, in its petition charged Justice Adi with overstepping his jurisdiction and closing a case involving a relative of BJP leader and leader of the opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar. The corruption case was related to government medical officer Dr Sheela Patil, who, according to the Congress leaders, is a relative of Shettar.
The BJP had, however, refuted the charges against Upalokayukta and accused the government of conspiring to close down the Lokayukta institution.