After 4 years, govt sanctions to prosecute PWD's Raghu

The government has finally accorded prosecution sanction order (PSO) against public works department (PWD) engineer L Raghu in disproportionate assets case.

"The PSO was accorded against Raghu two days ago. The charge sheet in the case of disproportionate assets will be filed once the official communication reaches,’’ an official said.

The Lokayukta police had raided the premises of Raghu in November 2012, when the officer was deputed at national highways department. They had seized incriminating documents relating to assets and valuables, including gold and silver.

After the probe, they prepared the final report and forwarded the request to the PWD seeking PSO against the officer in 2014.

However, the file was kept at abeyance for all these years without any action.

Even as the Lokayukta police kept on reminding, the previous government transferred him to the Bangalore Development Authority making him in charge of the newly proposed Kempegowda Layout.

When the pressure was mounted to clear the PSO, former chief Secretary Subhash Chandra Khuntia in May 2017 ordered the issue of PSO against Raghu in 10 days. However, nothing moved.

"Raghu’s PSO was one of the longest-pending cases,’’ another official said.

Raghu had been working in various departments on deputation since long. After the Supreme Court's order in April 2018 quashing reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in job promotions, Raghu was demoted as an assistant executive engineer. He was sent back to the PWD.

Sources said he has not reported to duty since then.

Background

On November 8, 2012, the Lokayukta police raided his houses in RPC Layout and office on Nrupatunga Road. They said he owned a house in RPC Layout and another on Magadi Road, a commercial complex in KHB Colony, Dasarahalli, three sites in Bengaluru and one in Mysuru. They had also found 2.7 kg gold, 20 kg silver and three cars.

According to the final report, Raghu has Rs 1.92 crore worth assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Activist had sought to prosecute CM

In June 2016, an activist had approached the Governor seeking sanction to prosecute the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Public Works Minister H C Mahadevappa. The activist stated that these ministers had accepted expensive Hublot watches from L Raghu to reject Lokayukta PSO sought against the latter.