Lokayukta extends leave by a month

Santosh Hegde says Justice Rao will be held responsible for incidents at ombudsman office

Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao has again extended his leave for a month, till September 30, 2015.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has questioned and taken statements from the drivers and staff at the official residence of the Lokayukta on Crescent Road.  Former Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde told Deccan Herald that there is prima facie case with the SIT to arrest Justice Rao on charges of abetment. The SIT has already registered an FIR which states an extortion incident took place at the official residence of the Lokayukta.

The fourth FIR (61/2015), registered by the SIT based on Chief Engineer D Uday Shankar’s complaint, stated that the demand for bribe from Shankar had taken place at the official residence of the Lokayukta on Crescent Road in the City.

Uday Shankar, who was an accused in the Rs 600-crore scam in the PWD’s Magadi subdivision, was called by V Bhaskar alias ‘420’ Bhaskar in February this year. Shankar had gone to the Lokayukta’s official residence on February 5 and he was first received by Bhaskar and Narasimha Murthy, a clerk at the State DG&IGP office, at the Lokayukta’s residence. As per the official tour programmes of the Lokayukta, Justice Rao was in the City on February 5. Sources said that two drivers of Lokayukta’s official vehicles, Krishnappa and Chikkayya, were summoned by the SIT. The drivers have given statement with regard to Justice Rao’s visits to the houses of Bhaskar and Rajashekhar, who have been arrested in connection with the extortion and corruption cases.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, former Lokayukta Justice Hegde said that even for the incident at the Lokayukta office, Justice Rao will be held responsible. “There is prima facie case of abetment against Justice Rao, not merely because the official residence is used in one case but for the entire set of cases. He (Lokayukta) was told about his son’s involvement in extortion by S R Hiremath in March this year and he did not take any action. Look at the cases registered by the SIT so far. Both, his office and official residence were used to call public servants for demand of money. In my view he is an abetter under the provisions of Section 109 of IPC and Section 13 (1) (c) of Prevention of Corruption Act,” Justice Hegde said.

Section 13 (1) (c) of the PC Act explains, “If he (public servant) dishonestly or fraudulently misappropriates or otherwise converts for his own use any property entrusted to him or under his control as a public servant or allows any other person so to do.”

Sources confirmed that Justice Rao has sent a letter to the in-charge registrar M S Balakrishna informing about extension of leave. The letter does not indicate any reason for the extension of leave.