Probe against former Karnataka Lokayukta Bhaskar Rao to continue

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition by former Karnataka Lokayukta Bhaskar Rao to quash charge sheet against him. Justice Bhaskar Rao has been accused of voluntarily allowing misuse of the office of Lokayukta by his son Ashwin Rao for extortion and intimidation. Justice Rao had approached the Supreme Court after the Karnataka high court had refused to quash a FIR filed by the special investigating team against him in November 2016.

In his petition, the former Lokayukta had contended that he had immunity from prosecution, a claim that was rejected by the high court previously. A special investigating team had filed a charge sheet naming Justice Bhaskar Rao in August 2016. The former Lokayukta had appeared in person before a special court in Bengaluru and will now face trial in the case involving his son and staff.

The Karnataka High court in November had held that the SIT has already received sanction from the Governor to probe Justice Bhaskar Rao and since he had resigned before the charge sheet was filed against him, the same can not be held wrong. Justice Bhaskar Rao, his son Ashwin and former public relations officer of the Lokayukta are accused of misuse of public office, extortion and intimidation.

OneIndia News