The confrontation between the state government and the Lokayukta intensified with Justice Hegde deciding to go ahead with his probe into KIADB land scams.
The confrontation between the state government and the Lokayukta intensified on Saturday with Lokayukta, Justice N Santosh Hegde, deciding to go ahead with his probe into Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) land scams and irregularities in the denotification of land.
Meanwhile, the BJP threatened to launch an agitation against the Lokayukta if he failed to tender an apology to the chief minister.
Taking the government head-on, Hegde said there was no question of him dropping his probe into the irregularities in the allotment of land by KIADB and the denotification by BDA and other civic bodies.
“I do not have any animosity towards Yeddyurappa or any other leaders. I have cases related to all governments in the recent past,” Hedge said. Hegde’s strong response comes a day after the state government shot off a letter seeking a status report on the progress of investigations on the cases the Lokayukta was handling.
“The state government seems to have developed a phobia that depicts the Lokayukta as anti-BJP and anti-BS Yeddyurappa. To say that I have been taking up investigations against the BJP for the wrong reasons is baseless. I have no malice against any political party; I have received 14 complaints against Yeddyurappa alone, and out of those we have closed eight without issuing notice. Of the remaining six, a notice has been issued on just one that is related to the case filed by YSV Datta of the JD(S). A preliminary enquiry is under way with regards to the remaining five cases,” the Lokayukta said.
Hegde, a crusader against corruption, resigned in July, accusing the BJP government of being indifferent towards corruption. He, however, withdrew his resignation later on the request of LK Advani, a man he describes as a father figure. A miffed Hegde said, “I have made a mistake in taking back my resignation, but now it is too late and nothing can be done about it as this is not child's play.”
He is also peeved with the government for seeking a status report on various cases entrusted to him after he questioned the manner in which a judicial probe was ordered overseeing his work. He said, “When there are 39 cases before me from between 2000 and 2010, why does the government want to know the status of investigations in only seven cases. I have no doubt that it is with a view to project me as a pro-JD(S) or a pro-Congress person. I flatly deny it. I have no such prejudices.”
He also said there were 3,126 cases pending with the Lokayukta and 13,358 cases pending with the Upa Lokayukta.
BJP demands an apology
A group of BJP legislators have accused Hegde of bias against the CM and threatened to stage a protest in front of his office if he failed to tender an apology to the Yeddyurappa. BJP MLAs Vishwanath, Nandish Reddy and Suresh Gowda accused Hegde of maligning the name of Yeddyurappa and his family by projecting them as culprits even before completing the probe into charges of corruption against them.
“It is not fair on the part of the Lokayukta. He should tender an apology to Yeddyurappa, otherwise we will stage a protest outside his office,” the MLAs said.
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