JOIN USThe Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao has directed the Lokayukta police to investigate the complaints that the Kolar MLA Varthur Prakash had criminally intimidated a tahsildar in Kolar district.
Based on an audio CD released to the media recently by former chief minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumara-swamy, which purportedly contained telephonic conversation between Prakash and the official, two complaints were lodged with the Lokayukta seeking action against the MLA.
Preliminary inquiry
According to a media release from the Lokayukta office, M S Balakrishna, Additional Registrar (Inquiries), Lokayukta, conducted a preliminary inquiry into the complaints and opined that the telephonic conversation in the said CD, prima facie discloses offences under Section 504, 506 and 511 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13(1) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Based on the inquiry report submitted by Balakrishna, Justice Rao forwarded the report to the Additional Director General of Police (Lokayukta) for further investigation.
B Harish Kumar of Karnataka Ranadhira Pade and Girish M T of Karnataka Human Rights and Non-corruption Committee had filed complaints along with the copies of the CD that was released by Kumaraswamy.
Addressing the media in connection with the death of IAS officer D K Ravi, Kumaraswamy on March 21 had released a CD that contained what he claimed to be a conversation between Prakash and a lower rung official in Kolar.
As per the conver-sation, the MLA threatens the official of dire consequences if he does not release sand trucks seized by the district administration. Ravi was then the deputy commissioner of Kolar district.Subsequently, Prakash had admitted that though the voice in the CD was his, he said the conversation had taken place some three-four years ago.