Bangalore: Historical Decision: Speaker Permits Lokayukta to Sue MLA
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Aug 8: The Lokayukta police on Friday August 7, filed charge sheet in the local court against tainted BJP MLA from Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) constituency, Y Sampangi, who had been caught by the Lokayukta personnel, while accepting five lac rupees from an individual as bribe, to settle a land dispute, at the MLAs Hostel here some time back.
Legislative assembly speaker Jagadish Shettar, by clearing the proposal submitted by Lokayukta additional director general of police Roopak Kumar Dutta three months ago to sue the MLA, just before leaving on a tour of USA and Europe on Thursday evening, created history of sorts. Lokaykta Justice Santosh Hegde has termed this decision as a model for others and felt, this was a great day for Karnataka. He added that Shettar has become a leading light for others in the country, by taking a right step in the direction of controlling bribe in public life.
Dutta informed, that the charge sheet, running into four volumes, contains recordings of the conversation between and accused and the complainant and other important evidences collected after arresting the MLA. The MLA had been arrested on January 29 this year, while accepting Rs 50,000 in cash and Rs 4.5 lac through cheque. from Hussain Moin Farooq, a resident of Andersonpet in Kolar Gold Fields.
In the permission letter, Jagadish Shettar said that he took the decision, based on the rules the Lok Sabha speakers and Rajya Sabha chairmen follow, in disposing off such requests. He also mentioned in the permission letter, a Supreme Court judgement of 1998 that had been delivered in connection with permitting investigation of the former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao and others.
It may be recalled, that the committee constituted by the speaker to go into the details and submit a report on the aspect of giving permission as sought for by the Lokayukta, under the presidentship of deputy speaker K G Bopaiah, is yet to submit its report.