After HC abolished ACB, the corrupt are getting jittery, says former Lokayukta

Mysore/Mysuru: With the Karnataka High Court on Thursday striking down the formation of ACB (Anti-Corruption Bureau), former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde said that the corrupt are getting jittery over the judgement, which has transferred all cases under the ACB to Lokayukta.

Speaking to presspersons on the sidelines of a State-level seminar organised at Manasagangothri’s Vishwagnani auditorium here on Friday, Justice Hegde welcomed the High Court judgement that has re-instated the Lokayukta of all its earlier powers.

Maintaining that all the three major political parties in the State may be disappointed over the HC judgement, he said that the Lokayukta had earlier punished several guilty officials in corruption and bribery cases. But after the ACB was formed in 2016, no corrupt politician or an officer has been punished, he said adding that the ACB was used as a pawn by politicians and as such no Legislator or other elected representative was questioned in corruption cases. Though the ACB registered hundreds of cases, it is unfortunate that no one has either been sentenced or punished.

Bemoaning the tendency to welcome those who come out of jail with pomp and gaiety, Justice Hegde said that all the three major political parties have corrupt leaders and as such they are opposed to Lokayukta.

Contending that politicians are afraid of the Institution of Lokayukta, he said that they may move the Supreme Court against the HC ruling, through backdoor means. He argued that the Lokayukta must be strengthened at any cost to curb corruption and other unethical practices, which has been hurting the society.