Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Dec 13: Karnataka Lokayukta, Justice Santosh Hegde, revealed that no one has so far filed any complaint with the Lokayukta, in relation to the land scams purported to be committed by former state Chief Minister, H D Kumaraswamy. He said he will institute an inquiry into these scams, if someone files a formal complaint with the Lokayukta. He was replying to a query by the media persons as to whether he would take up investigation into the land deals allegedly involving Kumaraswamy, which are published in the form of advertisements.

Justice Hegde was in the city for inaugurating the guest house of the golf course. He clarified that the Lokaykta institution does not have the suo moto powers to take up investigation on the basis of media reports or advertisements. At the same time, he refused to be bound by any time frame for completing such an investigation.

About the case of illegal export of iron ore from the state, he said that the inquiry is in progress, and that a report in this case would be submitted before the end of March next year. In respect of the land acquisition scam in which Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board is allegedly involved, he said that there has been delay in the submission of charge sheet, as new irregularities are surfacing. He hastened to add that in spite of this, charge sheet in this case would be filed at the earliest.

To a question as to whether he was repenting his earlier decision to withdraw the resignation he had submitted under pressure from L K Advani, Hegde said he now feels that he should not have taken back his resignation. “I have never seen Advani from the point of view of the leader of a political party. As an individual, I have tremendous respect for him. However, this did not work,” he added.

He said that the Lokayukta had received 13 complaints against the Chief Minister, and that he had held investigation into seven among them, duly issuing notice to the CM in one of them. While stressing that he does not harbour animosity against anyone, he said the Lokayukta receives complaints, irrespective of who submits them.