Bengaluru: The Special Investigation team (SIT), led by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police Soumendu Mukherjee which has been given a 60-day deadline by the government to complete the investigation into the corruption allegations in the Lokayuktha’s office, yesterday questioned Lokayukta Y. Bhaskar Rao at his Hyderabad residence for over three hours, to corroborate information gleaned from other witnesses in the case.
So far over 170 witnesses have testified in all the five cases registered in this connection. SIT officials have arrested 11 persons, including RTI activists, a journalist, Mr. Riyaz and Mr. Ashiwn.
During the questioning, Mr. Rao was asked about the role of the now-suspended Joint Commissioner of Police Syed Riyaz, who was the Lokayukta PRO, and his relationship with his son Ashwin Y., sources said. Reportedly Mr. Rao vented his ire at Mr. Riyaz and felt that Mr. Ashwin was misused by the former. The Lokayukta told the investigators that he had no role in bringing Mr. Riyaz into the institution since he had been serving for the past two decades and had been given a high rating by his predecessors, sources said.
Earlier, SIT officials had searched the residences of the Lokayukta in Bengaluru and Hyderabad and confiscated several documents.
