JD-S lodges complaint against Lokayukta SIT chief, demands suspension

Bengaluru, Sep 30 (IANS) A delegation of JD-S party MLAs and MLCs led by the floor leader C.B. Suresh Babu lodged a complaint with the Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Monday, demanding the sacking of the Lokayukta SIT chief M. Chandrashekhar.

Suresh Babu said, “ADGP M. Chandrashekar, who is heading the Lokayukta SIT should be suspended from the service and action must be initiated against him by sending a proposal in this regard to the Union Home Ministry from the state government.”

Chandrashekhar is involved in corruption, misbehaviour, extortion and criminal cases, Suresh Babu alleged.

Following the expose by Union Minister Kumaraswamy, in his letter to the SIT staff, Chandrashekhar has used obscene and derogatory messages against him. He has stated that do not fight with pigs, if you do, you will get dirty.

If Kumaraswamy had issued a derogatory statement against Chandrashekhar, he could have initiated action as per the All-India Service Rules 1958. It is misbehaviour on his part to use derogatory words in the letter and release it to the media, Suresh Babu alleged.

“Chandrashekhar belongs to the 1988 IPS batch serving in Karnataka. He is a Himachal Pradesh cadre officer and after claiming the sickness of his wife and weather-related issues, created forgery records and with influence got transferred to Karnataka and joined Karnataka cadre,” Suresh Babu charged.

“Chandrashekhar has served in various positions and while serving at important posts, he has developed bonds with landsharks, businesspersons, industrialists and anti-social elements. He is involved in criminal cases, extortion and serial crimes,” he charged.

A submission was made in this regard on February 20, 2023, to the Principal Secretary of the Home Department against Chandrashekhar and Vijay Tata by one Sridhar. It was alleged that both are indulged in criminal cases, threatening, blackmailing and registering false cases and extortion. More than 500 cases are registered against Vijay Tata and directions were given not to initiate any action against him by Chandrashekhar, the complaint says.

The complaint has given details of four cases involving Chandrashekhar, Vijay Tata and Congress MLA Ravi Ganiga.

In reply to the charges, ADGP Chandrashekhar wrote a letter to his staff and refuted all allegations calling them false and malicious.

He concluded his letter by quoting famous playwright George Bernard Shaw; “Never wrestle with a pig because you’ll both get dirty, and the pig likes it.”

Commenting on the tussle between Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy and Karnataka Lokayukta SIT Chief M Chandrashekhar, Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Monday said that police officers will have a mandate of investigation.

Speaking to reporters on the issue, Parameshwara maintained, “The police officers will have a mandate of investigation and SIT has been formed lawfully. They will carry out their duties. If the police work is obstructed, they will have their own procedures to deal with it and they will initiate those steps. I won’t make any further comments.”

–IANS

mka/uk