Bengaluru: Former Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao will be prosecuted for allegedly abetting the multi-crore corruption racket in the Lokayukta, under Sec 197 of the CrPC in the FIR 56/2015 by the Special Investigation Team after Governor Vajubhai Vala sanctioned the permission.
                                                                 Former Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao

According to officials, Justice Rao will be first judge in the country to be prosecuted. There are chances that he could be arrested too. The Govenor’s move will allow SIT to chargesheet the former Lokayukta under Sec 8, 9 and 10 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 119 (concealment by design by a public servant), 120 (criminal conspiracy) r/w 36, 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform) and 217 (a public servant disobeying direction of law with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture) among others of the Indian Penal Code.

The SIT had earlier sought permission from the government to prosecute the former Lokayukta. The team had then sought permission from the Governor, who is the appointing authority of the Lokayukta to sanction the permission.

The Lokayukta police registered an FIR in July last year against former joint commissioner and PRO, Lokayukta, Syed Riyazathullah, Ashok Kumar, Srinivasa Gowda, Shankare Gowda, V. Bhaskar alias 420 Bhaskar and Justice Rao’s son Y. Ashwin in the extortion racket. The case was then transferred to SIT. The SIT has charged Justice Rao with abetting his son Yerabati Ashwin, who is accused of running an extortion and corruption racket in the Lokayukta office.