Govt trying to damage Lokayukta: Hegde

Former Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde today accused the state government of trying to damage the institution of Lokayukta and "kill" high-profile corruption cases.

A "headless" Lokayukta in Karnataka is "benefiting" the Government and the stand-off between it and the Governor on the issue of new head to the anti-corruption agency is hurting the organisation very much, Hegde told PTI here.

He blasted Lokayukta Police for filing a 'B' report to the Court stating that there were no material to substantiate allegations of misuse of office by Home and Transport Minister R Ashoka in buying and getting 23 acres and 12 guntas (one acre is 40 guntas) of land denotified in Bangalore.

Lokayukta police reported that the alleged action of Ashoka did not attract provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Referring to the case, Hegde, a key member of Team Anna, noted that after denotification of land which was acquired and acquisition is final, original owner who lost the site following the acquisition, enters into agreement with the Minister.

"Then you denotify and give it the Minister. How can it be done? Connected matters are there; one uniform decision had to be taken. They will keep filing the 'B' reports. It will kill other (similar) cases," he said referring to cases against some Ministers and MLAs."