The Lokayukta police is awaiting sanction from Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor to prosecute Anitha Ravishankar, the Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, who is accused of accepting a bribe of Rs. 5,000 from a student pursuing doctoral studies.
The Lokayukta police arrested Ms. Ravishankar on December 4, 2012. The Lokayukta sleuths have completed investigation in the last week of March. A letter has been sent to the Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor seeking sanction to prosecute her, Superintendent of Police Mohan Das told The Hindu .
The Lokayukta police are also awaiting sanction to prosecution four officials accused of misuse of funds related to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in Nekkilady in Uppinangady. This case was referred to the Lokayukta Police by the Lokayukta court following a complaint.
Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act makes it mandatory for the investigating agency to seek sanction to prosecute the accused government employee. This is also a prerequisite for the jurisdictional court to take cognisance of the offence. Prosecution sanction has to be filed along with the charge-sheet. The case of Ms. Ravishankar is among the 24 cases under being investigated by Lokayukta police in Mangalore.
54 government employees in the district are facing trial in cases related to alleged bribery and possession of assets disproportionate to known sources of income. This includes cases booked against the then Police Sub Inspector Madhav Lakshman Eligar and Head Constable Subash Chandra from Bajpe police station. They were arrested for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs. 1 lakh on March 3, 2011. It also includes Assistant Director of Tourism Aadilakshmi, who was arrested for allegedly taking Rs. 5,000 bribe money on January 20, 2011.
Among the oldest cases before the Lokayukta police has been the one against former Belthangady Circle Inspector Y. Gangi Reddy and against former Belthangady Range Forest Officer Raghava Patali. The two officers have been accused of possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. Mr. Reddy’s house and office were searched in August 2009, while that of Mr. Patali raided in July 2011. The Lokayukta police have received prosecution sanction against the two officers few weeks ago. Charge sheets will be submitted to the court soon, Mr. Das said.
