From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jul 19: The bribery scam clouding the integrity and reputation of Karnataka’s institution of the anti-corruption ombudsman got even murkier with as many as four Congress legislators, known to be close to chief minister Siddaramaiah, demanding the resignation of Upalokayukta Justice Subash B Adi.

Addressing a news conference in Bengaluru on Sunday, the four Congress legislators led by V S Ugrappa, MLC, demanded Justice Adi’s resignation in the wake of the retired Upalokayukta-I S B Majage’s accusations that Justice Adi had overstepped his jurisdiction and closed a case involving relatives of BJP Opposition leader Jagadish Shettar.

Hours before end of his tenure on Friday, Justice Majage had accused Justice Adi of handling of cases in Bengaluru Urban, which he said did not come under Justice Adi’s jurisdiction.

The four Congress legislators led by V S Ugrappa said: "Justice Adi has no legal and moral right to continue as the Upalokayutka-II. He must resign and go."

The Congress party is expected to raise the issue in the ongoing legislature session.

Justice Adi had closed a corruption case against Dr Sheela Patil, who served as the Medical Officer in Government Hospital, Hubballi, who happens to be a relative of former BJP chief minister Jagadish Shettar, Ugrappa said.

The Lokayukta police booked the case against Dr Patil for allegedly diverting medicines from the Government hospital to a private nursing home, Mruthunjaya Nursing Home, run by her husband Dr Rajashekar Patil.

Though Justice Majage had been conducting an inquiry against Dr Sheela Patil, Justice Adi took the file and closed the case against Dr Sheela Patil.

"The couple doctors are close relatives of Jagadish Shettar," Ugrappa claimed.

Justice Adi was appointed as the Upalokayukta during the Shettar’s regime.

However, Justice Adi said he was open to any inquiry into allegations made against him.

The Congress, which demanded resignation of Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao for his alleged role in the bribery scandal involving his son Ashwain Rao, said "the entire Lokayukta is corrupt. The public has lost faith in the agency.’’

"This is the right time to bring in the Lokpal to reshuffle the entire institution," said Ugrappa, who held a press conference along with H M Revanna, P M Ashok and A Manju, MLAs.