Bengaluru: The bid for removal of Upalokayukta Justice Subhash Adi saw a setback, bringing some embarrassment to the ruling party Congress when Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa said that he was not convinced with evidences furnished to him along with a petition seeking the removal of the Upalokayukta.
Thimmappa maintained that the evidences are not enough to prove the charges of favouritism against Justice Adi and added that he required more evidences and that he was trying to gather them.
Speaking to reporters after holding meeting with Special Investigation Team Chief ADGP Kamal Pant, who is probing into Karnataka Lokayukta cases, the Speaker said that while the charges against Justice Adi seem true prima facie, the evidences were insufficient.
“I want to be careful while moving the petition before the High Court. I am conducting an exhaustive verification of all the documents. I want to substantiate all the charges,” he said adding that he is also verifying the petition in removal of Lokaykta Y Bhaskar Rao as well while he would be writing to the Chief Justice in a week urging hm to conduct a probe.
The Congress has, in its petition charged Justice Adi with overstepping his jurisdiction and closing a case involving a relative of BJP leader and leader of the opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar. The corruption case was related to government medical officer Dr Sheela Patil, who, according to the Congress leaders, is a relative of Shettar.
The BJP had, however, refuted the charges against Upalokayukta and accused the government of conspiring to close down the Lokayukta institution.
