The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday pulled up the Lokayukta police for the delay in completing the probe even after 18 months of registering a disproportionate assets (DA) case against a professor of a government medical college.
The court also directed the investigation officer to be present in the court on the next date of hearing to explain the reasons for the delay.
Justice A.N. Venugopala Gowda issued the directions while hearing a petition filed by V.L. Nandeesh, professor and head of the department, Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, Mandya.
The petitioner had questioned the criminal proceedings initiated against him in December 2013.
“Why there is so much delay? What the investigating officer is doing? People have lots of hope in the Lokayukta institution and that should not be eroded. Keep the institution alive. Change your attitude and investigation methods. Use modern methods to complete investigation early…,” the court observed.
Noticing from the questionnaire that was given to the accused persons in disproportionate assets case, the court said the Lokayukta police were asking questions about plastic toothbrushes when the people have golden toothbrushes.