The Special Lokayukta Court on Monday ordered a probe into corruption allegations levelled against the Lokayukta Superintendent of Police (Bangalore Urban) P.K. Shivshankar and Bangalore Urban Deputy Commissioner M.K. Aiyappa.
Lokayukta Judge N.K. Sudhindra Rao directed H.N.S. Rao, Additional Director-General of Police and head of the Lokayukta police, to register a first information report (FIR) against Mr. Shivshankar and Mr. Aiyappa and submit the findings by November 7.
The complainant, Srinivasa Murthy, had submitted to the court that he had approached Mr. Shivshankar with a complaint against Mr. Aiyappa who allegedly demanded a bribe from Mr. Murthy to settle a land dispute. After assuring Mr. Murthy that he would lay a trap to catch Mr. Aiyappa, Mr. Shivshankar allegedly alerted the latter of the complaint.
Sticky situation
The probe order by the court puts the Lokayukta institution in a sticky situation as this is the first time in the recent times that the anti-corruption agency’s police wing will be investigating one of its own in a corruption case.
Although Mr. Rao could not be reached for comment, a mid-ranking police officer, who reports to Mr. Shivshankar, told The Hindu that there is no precedent of such an investigation. “It will be tough to investigate his [Mr. Shivshankar’s] role as we report to him,” the officer said on the condition of anonymity.
Options
A Lokayukta official conversant with the rules that govern the institution said that Mr Rao has two options. One, he can register the FIR himself and investigate the allegations and the other, he can refer the case for investigation to other Lokayukta Superintendents of Police who are in charge of Bangalore Rural, Tumkur, Mandya or Mysore.
But the FIR will first have to be lodged at the Bangalore Urban Lokayukta police station before being handed over to another officer; meaning, either Mr. Shivshankar’s junior or he himself will have to register the FIR.
