Neither Krishna Nor Dharam Figure in Final Report: Lokayukta
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jul 22: ''I don’t know nor can understand how this sort of reporting has been done by the media," remarked Karnataka’s Lokayukta Justice N Santhosh Hegde, denying that he had named the former Chief Minister and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna or another previous Congress Chief Minister Dharam Singh in the final report on illegal mining activities in the State.
The Lokayukta, who is yet to submit his final report to the State Government and would probably do so on Monday, July 25, made it clear that the media reports on the alleged naming of S M Krishna and Dharam Singh – the two senior Congress leaders from the State – in the final report were ''totally wrong."
Talking to reporters, Justice Hegde wondered how the media got its facts. He, however, admitted that the portions of the report which appeared in the media regarding the strong indictment of BJP Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and former JD(S) chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy were ''correct" even though neither he nor his office were involved in the alleged ''leakage."
The leaked portions of the report suggested that Yeddyurappa and four of his Cabinet ministerial colleagues were involved in the illegal mining causing a loss of over Rs 1,800 crore to the State exchequer during the last 14 months since March 2009. However, informed sources suggested that the total amount of losses involved in the illegal mining trade in Karnataka since 2000 was over Rs 20,000 crore.
Though there has been wide speculation that the Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj might take action against the Chief Minister on the basis of the final report after it is submitted to the Government by the Lokayukta, Justice Hegde made it clear that he is not legally required to submit the report to Raj Bhavan.
''I am required to submit the report to the State Government," he said declining to indicate whether he will do so on Saturday, July 23, as was previously speculated or on Monday, July 25.
Justice Hegde, however, clarified that he would submit it to Raj Bhavan if the Governor were to officially ask for the report after it is submitted to the State Government.
Justice Hegde denied reports that the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had requested him to serve as the Lokyukta in that State and explained that Anna Hazare-led Jan Lokpal drafting panel members Shanti Bhushan and Arun Kejriwal had sought his assistance in drafting a report pertaining to Bihar Lokayukta.