The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Lokayukta police work at clearing backlog

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Thursday, May 29, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Lokayukta police work at clearing backlog

Raghava M.

BANGALORE: Way back in 2000, the Lokayukta police raided the residence of one Nagaratnaiah, a clerk in the Lokayukta office, and found assets that were disproportionate to his income. In the next few days, the Lokayukta police will file the charge sheet in this case.

The case against Mr. Nagaratnaiah is one of the several long-pending cases that the Lokayukta police is working on to clear the huge backlog they have. As a part of its crackdown against officials allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to their know sources of income, the Lokayukta police have set a target to clear the backlog in the investigation by 2009 while they continue booking cases against officials.

Investigation into cases of raids has been taking a long time. While the Lokayukta police take a minimum of three years, the Central Bureau of Investigation takes about two years. Soon after conducting raids, the Lokayukta police ask the officials to submit statements about the assets discovered at their offices and residences. They look into records related to the assets of the officials maintained by revenue authorities.

Despite the stipulation, the Lokayukta police have found it hard to complete the investigation within three years. The annual consolidated reports on the Lokayukta shows that of the 107 cases pending as on April 2001, the Lokayukta police disposed of nine cases and brought down the number to 98 cases. “Mr. Nagaratnaiah’s case is the oldest that is pending with us,” said Additional Director-General of Police (Lokayukta) Rupak Kumar Dutta.

Mr. Dutta told The Hindu that efforts were being made to expedite the process of investigation. “We have brought in some changes in the process that reduces the time,” he said.

He said efforts were being made to clear the backlog in the investigation of the cases. Of the 22 cases from 2005, nine cases have been sent for getting prosecution sanction, while five cases have been sent back to the investigation officer to work on a few points. “The officers have been given the target. We have planned to complete the backlog of cases by 2009,” Mr. Dutta said.

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