Lokayukta scam: Police custody of Ashok Kumar extended

The Lokayukta special court on Friday extended the police custody of Ashok Kumar, the first suspect held by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in corruption cases within the Lokayukta office. The Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for the Special Investigation Team told the court that police custody was required to take Kumar’s voice test.

K Janardhan, the Special Public Prosecutor, told the court a voice recording had been detected during the last few days of Kumar’s police custody. “We need his (Kumar’s) voice test for verification,” he said. The special court extended Kumar’s police custody till August 3.

Meanwhile, the court remanded journalist Srinivasa Gowda and his associate Shankare Gowda in judicial custody for 14 days. The Special Investigation Team had arrested the two men on July 22. The two persons were in police custody since the date of arrest. Special Investigation Team sleuths had questioned them on the RTI applications filed with regard to works approved by government servants targeted by the extortion racketeers.

On Thursday night, Special Investigation Team sleuths took Syed Riyaz, the Joint Commissioner (PRO), Lokayukta, to the Lokayukta office for ‘mahazar’. He was taken to the second floor of the office around 9.30 pm. SIT officials opened the PRO chamber and the conference room, which were sealed. They questioned him about access to the conference room., which has two entryways, one at the entrance of the PRO room, the other right next to the chair of the PRO on the second floor. They were also taken to star hotels for verifying meetings they reportedly held with government servants.