SIT chargesheets Justice Rao in Lokayukta extortion scam

Says he abetted offence, destroyed evidence, shielded son

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing extortion and corruption cases within the Lokayukta institution, on Wednesday filed the chargesheet against former Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao who is also a retired Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court. This is the first time a former Lokayukta has been chargesheeted for offences committed while in office.

The SIT has filed a 560-page additional charge sheet in the case (56/2015) pertaining to extortion and demand for bribe from M N Krishnamurthy, former Executive Engineer, Zilla Panchayat (Bengaluru Urban) on May 4, 2015 at the office of Joint Commissioner Lokayukta (PRO) Syed Riyaz  in the Lokayukta office.

Justice Rao's son Yerabati Ashwin and Riyaz are the prime accused in the case. Justice Rao has been named accused number seven in the case.

The SIT has pressed charges of abetment, destroying of evidence and attempting to save his son Ashwin, who ran an extortion racket from both the office and the residence of the Lokayukta. The charge sheet mentions that Justice Rao not only delayed enquiry when the incident was brought his notice through a report by the then Lokayukta SP (City) Sonia Narang, but also made attempts to save his son.

The SIT has attached statements of IAS officers M Lakshminarayana, former BBMP Commissioner, and former IGR (Stamps and Registration) G C Prakash.

Lakshminarayana has stated that he had informed Justice Rao about how Ashwin was summoning public servants and demanding money. Prakash stated that when he visited the Lokayukta's official residence, Bhaskar, one of the suspects, introduced himself as the Lokayukta's personal assistant.

The SIT has stated that details of the messages retrieved from Ashwin's mobile phone revealed that he was in constant touch with his father even after the registration of FIR. In one of the messages sent to his advocate, Ashwin stated that his father would take care of certain apprehensions raised by him.

The charge sheet also stated that Justice Rao provided all documents from the office of the Lokayukta to Ashwin, within 24 hours, only to allow him to move the High Court challenging investigation ordered by Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi.

Ashwin had filed the application on June 29, 2015 and received the documents on June 30, 2015, the day he filed the writ petition. The SIT report also quotes the statement of Pramod, a City Armed Reserve (CAR) constable who was working at the Lokayukta PRO office.

Pramod had stated that after the extortion scam was unearthed, Justice Rao used to speak to Ashwin using his (Pramod’s) phone [phone]), which was given to him by Riyaz. The copy of the FIR and many other documents were sent to Ashwin through Pramod's e-mail ID on the instructions of Justice Rao.

The report quoted the statement of D Sandeep Kumara, a cook at the official residence of the Lokayukta. Sandeep stated that Ashwin used to be in the official residence of the Lokayukta, when Justice Rao was away. Justice Rao's wife would call Sandeep to check whether Ashwin had come home.