Alleged Lokayukta extortion racket rocks Assembly

An alleged bribery scandal linked to Karnataka Lokayukta Bhaskar Rao today rocked the state Assembly with both opposition BJP and JD(S) staging a walk-out demanding a CBI probe into it and immediate amendment to the law pertaining to the anti-graft institution.
Replying to the discussion on the issue, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said "Special Investigation Team lead by ADGP Kamal Panth is investigating the case, they have been given adequate powers and truth will come out from the investigation."
He said upright and honest officials who had earlier worked with CBI were probing the case.
Reiterating the government's stand that on its own it cannot hand over the case to any other investigation agency as Lokayukta is an autonomous body, Jayachandra said the case was handed over to SIT on the specific request from the Lokayukta.

Government has handed over the case to Criminal Investigation Department on the request of the Lokayukta.
"We are planning to bring a comprehensive amendment to Lokayukta Act, we will take a decision on it soon," he said.

Rao is under pressure to quit over allegations that his son was involved in an alleged extortion racket ran from the ombudsman's office wherein targetted officials were asked to cough up huge bribe to prevent a raid.
Lokayukta Superintendent of Police Sonia Narang blew the lid off with a letter to its Registrar about the complaint she received from a person who alleged that someone from the Lokayukta office demanded Rs 1 crore in bribe to avoid a raid.

Rao, a former High Court Chief Justice, has rejected the allegations that his son was involved in the racket and said he would resign if the charge was proved correct.
Bowing to Opposition pressure during the first half of monsoon session of the Assembly held in Belagavi till Friday last, government had announced it would bring comprehensive amendments to Lokayukta Act to plug loopholes.
Criticising Jayachandra's reply, Opposition Leader Jagadish Shettar demanded that Lokayukta's son be arrested and investigated.
"There are many people who have come forward to give complaint against Ashwin Rao about his taking the money; Section 15 and 18 of Lokayukta Act is not applicable to him as he is not a Lokayukta official. Why don't you act on him?" he said.