HC order on ACB: BJP demands apology from Siddaramaiah, Congress

Bengaluru, Aug 14: Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar has welcomed Karnataka High Court's landmark verdict nullifying the formation of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and demanded a public apology from Congress and Siddaramaiah for having created toothless agency which defeat the very purpose of the Prevention of Corruption Act by withdrawing the investigation powers of the Lokayukta police.

BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who was at the forefront of attacking the Congress said alleged by curtailing Lokayukta's powers, the then Congress Government headed by Siddaramaiah constituted ACB with a sole intention of protecting himself and his ministers from many corruption charges.

"Toothless ACB - ACB was never an independent investigative body; it worked under the authority of the Chief Minister. No serving officers would be in a position to conduct an inquiry against the Chief Minister under whom they would be working as subordinates," he said.

"When the Lokayukta police, duly constituted on the strength of Karnataka Lokayukta Act, what the then Congress government did was not justified in constituting the ACB by way of an executive order. The impugned government order and the subsequent supporting notifications were contrary to the very object of the Karnataka Lokayukta," he added.

"Under Siddaramaiah led Congress government, the final blow to Namma Bengaluru and Karnataka came in the form of an ill-conceived Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The Congress Government which made tall promises of a corruption-free administration, was managed to disrupt and undermine the functioning of the Lokayukta by setting up the ACB. The ACB was a corrupt attempt to weaken the Parliament sanctioned institution of Lokayukta," he further added.

"From day one, I opposed the unethical executive order by Siddaramaiah government which reduced most powerful Karnataka Lokayukta in to a toothless tiger. Opposing rampant corrupt does of, including IT Raids and Steel Flyover project. I had approached Karnataka Lokayukta opposing Steel Flyover project too. (Letter dt: February 16, 2017 and March 20, 2017)," Rajeev Chandrashekar said.

"Congress and Siddaramaiah should immediately apologise to the people of Karnataka for
having created toothless ACB which defeat the very purpose of the Prevention of Corruption
Act by withdrawing the investigation powers of the Lokayukta police under the PC Act and
extending it to ACB," he said.

"Our BJP Government headed by Shri Basavaraj Bommai will take necessary action on
strengthening the Lokayukta, on the basis of our party manifesto," he concluded.