Bengaluru: Former Lokayukta of Karnataka and retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Nanje Gowda Venkatachala passed away on Wednesday morning in Bengaluru, he was 89.
Sources said that the forme Lokayukta had a fall at about 6 am on Wednesday morning and was then rushed to Ramaiah Hospital. Despite efforts, he remained unresponsive and was declared dead by 7 am.
Venkatachala has to his credit the fame of bringing back the office of Lokayukta to life and making its presence felt in the state.
Born on July 3, 1930, Justice Venkatachala finished his schooling in Mulbagal, his high school education in Kolar and his college education in Bengaluru. He obtained his BSc and BL degree from Mysore University.
Justice Venkatachala enrolled in the then High Court of Mysore (now Karnataka) on November 16, 1955. He practiced civil, criminal and constitutional matters. He was appointed as the High Court Government Pleader from 1968 to 1973 and then was appointed as an additional judge of the Karnataka High Court on November 28, 1977. He became a permanent judge on September 8, 1978.
He was a legal adviser to the University of Agricultural Sciences, Hebbal from 1963 to 1973, and to Bangalore University from 1970 to 1973.
In 1990, he was appointed to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
In May 1992, he was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court and then was elevated to the Supreme Court on July 1, 1992. He retired as a Supreme Court judge on July 2, 1995. After his retirement, he was appointed as the Karnataka Lokayukta on July 2, 2001.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has condoled the former judge’s death. “The death of Justice N Venkatachala, the judge who brought honour to the action of Lokayukta is an irreparable loss. He worked hard to bring justice to everyone and for a corruption-free society. May the Lord give his family and countless fans the power to endure the loss,” Yediyurappa tweeted.
He is survived by his daughter, Dr Aruna Ramesh and his son-in-law Dr Ramesh D.
