Complaint against Lokayukta ADGP

The Additional Director General of Police (Lokayukta) himself has been named as an accused in a complaint filed in the Special Lokayukta Court here on Tuesday.

The complaint filed by ex-councillor of Hulimavu and RTI activist Lakshminarayana alleges that ADGP H N Sathyanarayana Rao forwarded a favourable report to the government on former IAS officer Veerabhadraiah, when his opinion was sought for granting voluntary retirement to the bureaucrat who was facing a Lokayukta probe. The matter has been adjourned to June 20 for hearing.

In his complaint, Lakshminarayana stated that in 2010 Veerabhadraiah sought voluntary retirement from service (VRS) to which he was eligible from October 31, 2012. The complainant stated that the government denied the officer’s request as the Lokayukta police had registered a case against him under Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to known sources of income.

Voluntary retirement

His requests for VRS were rejected on November 3 and November 21, 2012. When third request was made, under secretary, department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms U H Narayanaswamy recommended the granting of application stating that the case of disproportionate assets was still under investigation and there was no pecuniary loss to the state government. This was despite the Lokayukta police preparing a report stating that the disproportionate assets owned by Veerabhadraiah was 155 per cent.

On December 17, 2012, Veerabhadraiah made another representation to the chief minister to reconsider his application with an undertaking that he would not claim any pension benefits pending disposal of criminal cases against him.  Lakshminarayana alleged that when the government sought the ADGP’s opinion, he suppressed the facts about the status of cases against Veerabhadraiah; especially a charge sheet recommended against him in one of the cases and added that Lokayukta police had no role to play in granting approval for VRS.

“Both knowing each other joined hands to defeat the purpose of the Act and All India Services (Death-Cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958 to submit a favourable report by suppression of material facts to the government,” the complainant said.

He alleged that following this report, the government hurriedly allowed Veerabhadraiah to take VRS overnight unconditionally and paved the way for him to contest the May 5 Assembly elections from Madhugiri constituency. Lakshminarayana alleged that Sathyanarayana Rao submitted a favourable report for pecuniary gain and hence had committed an offence under Prevention of Corruption Act.