Lokayukta SPP may quit

Umakanthan was blamed for delaying case proceedings

Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) L Umakanthan of the City wing of the Lokayukta police has decided to put in his papers.

Umakanthan met Upa Lokayukta S B Majage on Friday morning and conveyed his decision to resign from the post, Lokayukta Registrar B Yoginath confirmed to this newspaper.

The SSP, who did not attend the court on Friday, is expected to resign on Saturday.

A report in Deccan Herald on Friday attributed delays in the Lokayukta court proceedings in corruption cases to his inefficient handling.

It said Umakanthan’s failure to show any inclination to acquaint himself with the various stages of cases was the main cause for the delay and continual adjournment of cases tried in the designated Special Lokayukta Court, Bangalore Urban.

 Situations where the SPP had demonstrated complete ignorance about the stages of cases had led to a frustrated judge remarking repeatedly that it was the duty of the SPP to assist the court and record observations on the case sheet. Often, the investigating officer was being called to answer questions pertaining to the cases.

The Lokayukta police had also not been consulted on the selection, even though the cases being handled in the court were investigated by the police. The recommendation sent by the police to the Registrar on the choice of SPP had also been disregarded.

It is unclear whether the Upa Lokayukta and the Registrar would short-list advocates before making a final choice for the next SPP.

The revision of the pay scale of the SPP is also under consideration, as the salary paid to him is a paltry Rs 10,000. Advocates can claim Rs 200 a case, not exceeding a total of Rs 5,000. But ironically, the Bangalore Urban division has more than 350 graft cases, a staggering 40 per cent of the total number of cases in the State.