Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Lokayukta, Y. Bhaskar Rao became the first former Lokayukta in the country to be charge-sheeted after being mentioned as an accused in a corruption case. He was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
While Rao’s son Y. Ashwin is the prime accused in the case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), in its 500-page supplementary charge sheet has mentioned Rao as the seventh accused. The SIT is probing the 2015 bribery scandal in the Lokayukta’s office filed charge sheet in one of the five cases related to the scandal on Wednesday. Rao has been charged with abetting illegal gratification to influence a public servant, concealing evidence and being part of a criminal conspiracy to cover up and protect the offenders.
It is alleged that Rao’s son Ashwin ran an “extortion racket” in which several government officials were threatened with cases if they did not pay up. M.N. Krishnamurthy, a Public Works Department Engineer, lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta police in May 2015 after which the case came to light.
Rao resigned from office in December 2015 only after a motion to remove him was moved in the State legislature. And recently the Governor had granted permission to the SIT to prosecute him. The SIT is now likely to seek the Governor’s permission to proceed against Rao in four other cases.
The Special Lokayukta Court will summon Rao after it frames charges. The court is yet to take cognisance of the supplementary charge sheet. SIT is not sure if Rao was in India. The court would decide if he would be sent to judicial custody or granted bail.
