Cop investigating high-profile cases moved out of Lokayukta

A police inspector attached to the City Lokayukta, who had filed the charge sheet against Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani and was instrumental in the recent arrest of IAS officer M K Aiyappa has been shunted out of the Lokayukta.

In a memo issued to Lokayukta Registrar Yoginath on Monday, Inspector Anjan Kumar was informed that his services were no longer required in the Lokayukta as recommended by the Lokayukta Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and that he was being repatriated to his parent Police department.

Lokayukta police sources said that the transfer sent a wrong message among the deputy superintendents, inspectors and constables who are the backbone of every investigation that the Lokayukta police conduct.

“This has upset all of us. If this is the way a person is treated after conducting investigations impartially and effectively, then there is no hope for the institution,” a source rued.

It is also learnt that Anjan Kumar was initially issued a memo saying that he was being transferred because of improper investigation methods, but this was recalled and a fresh memo was issued merely stating that his services were no longer required.

Lokayukta ADGP H N Sathyanarayana Rao, however, maintained that it was a routine transfer and had nothing to do with the case Anjan Kumar was handling.

“We have been asked to divert some people for election duty and he is one of the many who is being transferred. It is not an isolated case,” he said. Rao also said that Anjan Kumar had spent more than two years in the Lokayukta and it was important for police officials not to spend too much time in the department that handles several high-profile cases, as they might develop vested interests.

However, Lokayukta is staffed with several officers both police and judicial who have spent more than two years in service. Inspector Anjan Kumar, who it yet to get a posting, refused to comment.