JOIN USNo official convicted so far: Hegde
“Conviction rate in cases registered under the PCA, including the Lokayukta raids, is very low. No official has been convicted till date, ever since I took over reins. This is mainly because of the present set-up, which demands more time for a case to come to a logical conclusion, and some flaws in the PCA. If one really wants to reduce the corruption and ensure early punishment to the accused, then procedural liberty and modifying of the PCA are inevitable.” Hegde observed.
He noted that at present, it takes at least five years for a case to go to the court. “The process of investigation is too long, as it takes around one and half years. As per the law, the Lokayukta should hand over a questionnaire containing 18 questions, for the accused to answer. Interestingly, the law does not fix any time limit for the accused to reply. In most of the cases, the accused take two years to answer the questions. Until then the Lokayukta can’t do a thing,” he said.
Valuator needed
Another problem is that of the valuator. A proper valuator is required to assess the worth of assets as per existing standards. The only valuator with the lokayukta can value assets in 30 cases a year if worked hard. Last year the number of raids was 90 which means it will take at least three years to value the worth in raids conducted in one year, he stated.
Referring to the PCA, Hegde said that the Act was passed in 1948.
“Has the corruption level not increased between 1948 to 20009? The Lok Sabha on December 23, 2008 passed 17 laws including amendment to the PCA in just 12 minutes with hardly any discussions. Worse is the fact that the amending diluted the PCA itself. Before the amendment, under section 19 the PCA, government sanction was not required to file charge sheets against the transferred and retired employees. But, the amendment made it mandatory to seek the government sanction to file the charge sheets against these two categories of employees,” Hegde said.
Politicians say that the institution of the Lokayukta has been set up to prevent corruption. But, how can the Lokayukta fight corruption when the powers are not given.
“To me, sanction in any corruption case should be automatic. Either acquittal or suspension should happen immediately,” Hegde felt.
Referring to an objection made against the Lokayukta act of detailing about raids, Hegde justified himself saying: “I am chief of the Lokayukta institution which means I am the spokesperson the Lokayukta institution as well. Hence, I have every right to give information.”
He expressed doubt over procedural liberty in the present set up and amendment to the PCA saying these two things cannot happen without the support of politicians and the bureaucrats who frame and execute. They don’t want to invite trouble by going in for a change, he added.
Details of the assets seized by Lokayukta
Particulars amount in Rs
Fakirappa B Chowhan, ACP (Traffic), Hubli-Dharwad
Joined in 1977 as PIS
House, Hubli 35,00,000
27 acres land, Dharwad 25,00,000
8.03 acres land with petrol bunk, Dharwad 25,00,000
Petrol bunk, three houses, Dharwad 40,00,000
Two sites at Jangamanakoppa and Dharwad 25,30,000
Renovated house 10,00,000
House under construction, Belgaum 15,00,000
One car, one scooter 4, 80,000
22 bank accounts 3,05,299
Kissan Vikas Patras 84,000
Income Rs 30,00,000 Total 1,83,99,299
Ikram Pasha, Inspector of Motor Vehicle, Bidar,
Joined in 1991
Two sites, Bangalore 40,00,000
One house, Bangalore 40,00,000
Income Rs 18,00,000 Total 80,00,000
A D Nagaraj, PI, Railway, Bangalore City ,
Joined in 1998
Five sites in different parts 13,50,000
House at Kunjatbailu 10,00,000
1.28-acre land, Bangalore 3,00,000
One school 20,00,000
One building 10,00,000
Tailor shop 2,00,000
Three vehicles 16,00,000 One laptop 30,000
Income Rs 28,00,000 Total 74,80,000
Ramachandra Murthy, KAS. Administrative & Vigilance
Officer, Mysore Minerals Ltd, Bangalore
House, Bangalore 40,00,000
4-acres coconut/arecanut garden, Bangalore 50,00,000
10-acres land, Hoskote taluk 50,00,000
One site, Bangalore 10,00,000
One car 6,00,000
Two bank lockers to be opened
Income Rs 55,00,000 Total 1,56,00,000
Eranna, Inspector of Motor Vehicle, Raichur.
Joined in 1991 Seven sites, Gurumitkal 3,50,000
Two houses, Bangalore 1,50,46,000
One flat, Hyderabad 9,00,000
Four plots 5,75,000
Two textile printing factories, Bangalore 25,00,000
Hotel Samrat, Gurumitkal 1,60,00,000
Nine vehicles including cars and JCB not valued
Lands at three places, Gurumitkal 2,80,000
Income Rs 45,00,000 Total 3,56,51,000
Ramachandrappa, SI of Excise, Bangalore.
Joined in 2001
(Earlier excise guard in 1977)
Wine shop, Bangalore 4,50,000
One site, Bangalore 1,85,000
House for film shooting, Mandya 50,00,000
Seven-acres land, Mandya 15,00,000
Lease of flat 32,00,000
One kg gold 12,00,000
One kg silver 1,50,000
Two cars 12,00,000
20 new suits 50,000
300 shirts/pants 1,50,000
Bank accounts being verified
Petrol bunk being verified
Income Rs 20,00,000 Total:1,30,85,000
Syed Mobin, Assistant Engineer, Karnataka Land Army Gulbarga,
Joined in 1980
One house 20,00,000
Two industrial units 45,00,000
One plot 5,00,000
One primary School 35,00,000
One site, Gulbarga 1,00,000
Cash 3,46,650
One car 4,00,000
Four two-wheelers 1,00,000
75.5 gram gold 1,00,000
Silver ornaments 5,500
Income Rs 33,00,000 Total 1,20,52,150
Grand total 11,02,67,449