Lokayukta court declines body warrant for Riyaz

The Lokayukta Special Court on Tuesday dismissed an application filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing corruption and extortion within the Lokayukta, seeking body warrant of suspended Joint Commissioner (PRO) Syed Riyaz.

The court has declined to accord permission to take the custody of Syed Riyaz on body warrant in the second case registered by the SIT in connection with the extortion racket.

The SIT had filed the requisition seeking the custody of Syed Riyaz in the second case (58/2015), based on the complaint filed by Executive Engineer Channabasappa. The court had earlier dismissed the anticipatory bail application filed by Riyaz in the same case. The court also rejected the application filed by the SIT for the custody of other accused Y Ashwin, son of Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao and V Bhaskar.

On Tuesday, the court also granted anticipatory bail to Riyaz in the third case (60/2015). A senior police official of the SIT said that in the wake of State government according Prosecution Sanction Order (PSO), the charge sheet in the first case (56/2015) will be filed on Wednesday.

In another development, the SIT has filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court challenging the bail granted to Syed Riyaz by the Karnataka High Court. “The SLP has been filed before the Supreme Court and the hearing may take any time,” an official said.