KARNATAKA: The police wing of the Karnataka Lokayukta has seized immoveable property worth Rs. 121.53 crore and moveable property worth Rs. 36.65 crore, besides gold and cash worth Rs. 13.42 crore in just 11 months, from January 1 to November 15, 2014, according to statistics released on Lokayukta Day here the other day.
Lokayukta Y. Bhaskar Rao said 6,319 of the 7,045 complaints had been disposed of, reports have been filed in 196 cases, and 17 cases had been recommended for inquiry. Similarly, Lokayukta-1 S.B. Majage has disposed of 15,879 complaints and Lokayukta-2 Subhash B. Adi has disposed of 1,319 complaints. Describing the new Karnataka Lokayukta Bill, which is modelled on the Lokpal Act, as an attempt to put the anti-corruption body in cold storage, former Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde said the new Bill had completely done away with the Lokayukta’s powers to address “grievances of people arising out of maladministration”. The proposed law only referred to anti-corruption job to be done by the Lokayukta, he added. He said itwould affect “have-nots”, and the proposed law would end up diluting the Karnataka Lokayukta in the name of strengthening it. “It not only dilutes the powers of the Lokayukta, but also brings in another body called the Vigilance Commission, which will take over Lokayukta activities,” he said.
Governor Vajubhai R. Vala favoured a model Lokayukta Act by the Centre, which would be accepted by all State governments. He batted for giving penalising powers to the anti-corruption body.
