High Court rules Lokayukta can investigate staff of aided private educational institutions
Bengaluru: The High Court has ruled that staff of private educational institutions receiving government aid can be considered part of government personnel for certain purposes, and the Lokayukta can conduct investigations against them.
The order came from a division bench led by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, which quashed the appeal filed by B. Lakshmenarayana, the librarian and clerk of Sri Balanjaneya High School in Byrashetti Halli, Nelamangala Taluk, challenging a Lokayukta-conducted inquiry.
The court noted that in several cases, staff of aided educational institutions are treated as part of government service for specific purposes, as their salaries, allowances, and service conditions are regulated by the government. Therefore, the Lokayukta is authorized to investigate complaints against such staff.
The case traces back to 2013, when a complaint was filed with the Lokayukta alleging that B. Lakshmenarayana and four others purchased land in Vajrahalli and Nelamangala in 2004–05 without the necessary approvals from the school management board. The complainants alleged that Lakshmenarayana had received ₹2.83 crore for his share and failed to disclose property details as required.
The Lokayukta conducted a preliminary inquiry and submitted a report to the government recommending a full-scale investigation under the CC&A rules. The High Court upheld this process, stating that there is no error in allowing the investigation to proceed.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
