Daijiworldl Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Sep 27: Special Investigating Team (SIT) investigating Lokayukta corruption scandal informed the state high court on Monday that it has strong evidences to suggest that former Lokayukta, Justice Y Bhaskar Rao, was involved with the scandal in which his son, Ashwin Rao played a major role.

SIT made this fact clear before the single judge bench of the state high court presided by Justice Anand Byrareddy, before which the petition filed by Justice Bhaskar Rao questioning the summons issued on him by Lokayukta special court came up for hearing.

Justice Bhaskar Rao

Ashwin Rao

"As per the verbal and documentary evidences gathered so far, seventh accused, Justice Bhaskar Rao, had joined hands in the scandal with second accused, Ashwin. Ashwin used the office and residence of the Lokayukta to contact senior officials in the government and extract money from them. We have evidences to corroborate this fact," the SIT said. It pointed out that police constables, Yashwant Rao and Krishnamurty, had stated that accused Ashwin and other accused persons often got together at the residence of the Lokayukta and held discussions. Sandeep Kumar said that Bhaskar Rao had asked his cook to switch off his cellphone and stay away from the city for 15 days. Justice Rao himself had introduced the third accused as his assistant in the office. Rao failed to take action even after the then Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike commissioner, Laxminarayan, complained to Rao about frequent calls received from a person who introduced himself as Ashwin, son of the Lokayukta, it stated.

The bench has already clarified that Justice Rao cannot claim protection under Judges Protection Act as he was involved with illegal things. After hearing arguments and counter arguments for sometime, the bench posted the case for further hearing on Thursday at the request of advocate for Justice Bhaskar Rao.