Daijiworld Media Network-Bengaluru (RJP)

Bengaluru, Aug 9: Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath (JSP), an NGO has alleged that 2 cases which were registered against IAS officer P C Jaffer were closed within a matter of 9 days. Jaffer has been appointed as the new registrar of Lokayukta and is all set to take charge.

JSP says that complaints against Jaffer were registered for corruption, violation of rules and misuse of power.

As per the details provided, the first complaint was registered on May 20and closed on May 28 in 2014. The second complaint was filed on June 27 and closed on July 6, 2015.

From the database of Lokayukta complaints, sourced by JSP members, it is revealed that around 820 complaints against senior IAS officers were filed between January 2014 and June 2015 and more than 500 complaints were closed. It was also revealed that 26 complaints filed against former BBMP Commissioner Lakshminarayana, 15 cases against Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Commissioner T Sham Bhatt, 11 complaints against Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee, 10 complaints against Bengaluru DC (Urban) V Shankar and nine complaints against Gopalaiah (IAS) were closed during this period. Some complaints against these officials are still under scrutiny.

It is learned that these cases are not suo motu cases taken up by the Lokayukta but the complaints filed by public. JSP has demanded a CBI investigation into all these complaints closed in the last two years, especially against senior IAS officers.

The JSP members said that they would file a memorandum with S K Mukherjee, the acting chief justice of the High Court, to take stern action against the government’s decision of appointing an IAS officer as registrar.

Former Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde speaking on the matter said "I am not demeaning any IAS officer, as I have high regard for certain officers. However, the action of the government in overlooking the proposal of the High Court in regard to a judicial post in the Lokayukta is not acceptable."