The Lokayukta police arrested Karnatak University Vice-Chancellor H.B. Walikar and three others here on Monday in a case of alleged irregularities at the university.
The Lokayukta police, led by Superintendent of Police K. Parashurama, arrested Mr. Walikar, Registrar (Evaluation) H.T. Pote, finance officer Rajashri S., and S.L. Bilagi, personal assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, from the varsity campus around 8 p.m. All of them were arrested under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as the charges levelled against them were found to be prima facie true, Mr. Parashurama said. Soon after the arrest, the accused were taken to the District Civil Hospital for medical test. After the test, Mr. Walikar and Ms. Rajashri were shifted to the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences following advice by doctors at the district civil hospital. Mr. Pote and Mr. Bilagi were produced before court. Earlier in the day, the Dharwad Bench of the Karnataka High Court admitted the writ petition filed by Mr. Walikar seeking quashing of the FIR against him by the Lokayukta. However, the court adjourned the hearing till next week. The judge observed that since the petitioner sought the quashing of the FIR against him, the case should go to the Criminal Bench. Justice B. Billappa, heading the Criminal Bench, said that he would take up the case on Tuesday. However, the advocate representing the Governor’s office expressed his inability to appear before the court on Tuesday and requested the Bench to put off the hearing till next week. Mr. Billappa accepted the request.
