Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner V. Shankar, who is the executive magistrate, and Bengaluru South tahsildar Dayanand B.R. in their deposition before Lokayukta Court had said that Syed Riyaz and Ashwin Y., accused in the Lokayukta corruption case, forced them to come to the Lokayukta’s official residence to seek official favours.
The Special Public Prosecutor submitted in the High Court Mr. Shankar’s statement, recorded under Section 164 of the Cr.PC (statement before the magistrate). In his statement, Mr. Shankar narrated how he had to visit the Lokayukta’s house at the instruction of Riyaz. He also recalled how Ashwin and is associate V. Bhaskar interfered in the official work of his department and sought official favours.
In his statement, Mr. Dayanand said Riyaz had asked him to come to the Lokayukta’s house. He too said that Ashwin and Bhaskar were interfering in the affairs of other departments. The tahsildar said Bhaskar suggested he pay up as Ashwin was “unhappy” with his conduct.
In its objections to Riyaz’s bail plea, the SIT also referred to a file noting of BDA documents it had seized during investigation in another case. It was evident that Riyaz was summoning officials of other departments to his office and giving them instructions, something beyond his official power, the SIT said.
The SIT said it had ample evidence to show how Riyaz and other suspects had “converted the office of the Lokayukta into an office of corruption”.
