Lokayukta court trashes plea against Justice Rao

The Lokayukta special court has dismissed the Interlocutory Applications (IAs) filed by Alam Pasha for inclusion of former Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao as a co-accused in the cases of extortion and corruption chargesheeted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

An industrialist, Alam Pasha, had filed three IAs on November 23 under Section 319 of CrPC in three chargesheets on stating that the SIT has not considered Justice Rao as a co-accused despite evidence.

The application stated that the chargesheets already submitted clearly points at the complicity of Justice Rao and would also establish his involvement in the scam.

The IA stated that the SIT has done an ‘eye-wash’ probe against Justice Rao and that there were ample evidences to proceed against him in the three chargesheets filed by the SIT. The application quoted some witness statements, which clearly suggested that Justice Rao was not only aware of the scam but also attempted to harbour the accused. Some statements reveal that Justice Rao directed the prime accused, Riyaz, to extend his leave after returning from Haj pilgrimage.

Lokayukta special court judge V G Bopaiah on Thursday dismissed the application stating that there were not sufficient material to establish the link between Justice Rao and the rest of the accused. “IAs can be filed at this stage, but the materials provided are insufficient to prove the complicity of Rao with other accused,” the judge observed.