Daijiworld Media Network- Bengaluru (RJP)
Bengaluru, Jul 22: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case of corruption in the anti corruption agency Lokayukta scam case arrested and produced Ashok Kumar (30) from Rajajinagar, before the Lokayukta special court on Tuesday, July 21.
Ashok Kumar is said to be into real estate and sand transportation business. As per reliable sources, Ashok made calls to M N Krishnamurthy, an executive engineer in Bengaluru Zilla Panchayat.
In the FIR registered against Ashwin, son of Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao, it was mentioned that Krishnamurthy had received a message from the number '9066029213' asking him to call back. When Krishnamurthy called that number, the receiver of the call asked him to come to the Lokayukta office, where Ashwin introduced himself as Krishna Rao and demanded Rs 1 crore to avoid a Lokayukta police raid.
“It was found that Ashok Kumar was the one who had called Krishnamurthy. Ashok used to be a security guard and later started his own security agency. Now he is into real estate and sand transportation businesses,” said an official who is part of the SIT.
At present, only the FIR (56/2015) is being probed and Ashok’s role in the particular case has been found. It is said that Ashok has a major role to play in the case, which is believed to have taken place on May 4 at the Lokayukta office. SIT is yet to question him further on the role played by other persons in this case, as per sources.
The special court sent Ashok to SIT custody for 10 days.
Meanwhile, joint commissioner (PRO), Lokayukta, Syed Riyaz, who is also under the SIT scanner, on Monday requested extension of his leave for another 30 days, through a letter to the registrar's office, which sources said was not in line with protocol. Lokayukta registrar M S Balakrishna has directed him to file a proper application seeking extension of leave.
An official said that Riyaz was on leave from July 7 to July 17. Though Saturday was a holiday, the letter seeking extension of leave should have been from July 18 and not from July 20. Moreover, Riyaz was granted leave on the condition that there cannot be an extension and also that a government servant cannot resign while on leave.