Bengaluru: The registrar of the Karnataka Lokayukta, H R Deshpande resigned on Friday evening, July 17. He submitted his papers to Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao.
Reportedly, Deshpande, who was also the head of the Lokayukta legal cell, cited personal reasons for his resignation. It is also said that Deshpande was deeply hurt by the recent controversy over the alleged extortion in the Lokayukta.
Accordingly Deshpande’s daughter was in Miraj, Maharashtra, where she delivered a baby recently. While his daughter is still in hospital, her baby was in the NICU due to jaundice.
Deshpande’s wife was taking care of their daughter and baby alone as he could not go there at this stage owing to the controversy surrounding the Lokayukta. He went on leave from July 1 to 13 after the case of extortion by Lokayukta staff was handed over to the Special Investigating Team (SIT). He returned last Monday.
After he returned, Investigating Officer Labhu Ram of the SIT held discussions with Deshpande and other police officials of the Lokayukta wing. SIT officials conducted a mahazar of the crime scene in the Lokayukta office on Friday.
Deshpande is said to have explained the difficulties he was experiencing due to controversy which had rocked the institution and also of his inability to take care of his daughter in hospital. He had suffered a stroke earlier and is undergoing treatment. Deshpande took charge as Lokayukta Registrar on October 31, 2013 after he retired as Registrar (Judicial) of the Dharwad bench of the Karnataka High Court. He was appointed on a contract basis. His tenure was to end on October 31.
Meanwhile, Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao was not available for comments on Deshpande’s resignation. Assistant Registrar M S Balakrishna will now be given additional charge as Registrar.
