SIT head will be suggested by Lokayukta: Bhaskar Rao

Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao today said head of Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to probe illegal mining in the state will be suggested by the anti-corruption ombudsman.
"We will suggest the name..Who should head it.....Because Lokayukta is an autonomous body, Lokayukta Police is autonomous, the act is made autonomous," Rao told reporters here in response to a question about government suggesting the names for the SIT chief post.
The Karnataka Cabinet had on Tuesday decided to form a SIT under the Lokayukta to look into illegal mining in the state. The team consisting of 196 personnel will be headed by a police officer of the rank of Inspector General (IG) which will submit its report in two years.

To a question on when the SIT will start functioning, he said, "We have already sent a letter to the Chief Secretary for allotment of building; as soon as the building is allotted to us we will start functioning."
On the staff for the investigative team, he said "we will be sending a list of officers....By February 20 we might send the entire list."
Stating that Lokayukta police have been waiting for sanction to prosecute 94 officials in corruption cases, Rao said "we have received Prosecution Sanction Orders (PSO) for 12, as on 6th February."
Pointing out that it is a set rule even in the Supreme Court that any request for prosecution sanction order should be disposed of within three months; he said "the order copy was also sent to the government."

"....You should ask the government about the cause of the delay," he added.