Special court rejects 'B report' in bribery case against ADGP Alok Kumar, 2 others
Bengaluru (PTI): A special court in Bengaluru has rejected the 'B report' submitted by the Karnataka Lokayukta police in the case where Additional Director General of Police Alok Kumar and two other officers are alleged to have demanded a bribe of Rs 1 crore.
The special court for corruption cases, in its order, rejecting the 'B report' (closure report for lack of evidence) has said examination of the complaint will be held by the court under Section 200 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
It allows for the court to take cognisance of the complaint and initiate the examination itself.
Judge K Lakshminarayana Bhat heard a protest memo filed by the complainant in the case, Mallikarjun M B.
The original complaint dates back to 2014. Mallikarjun was allegedly involved in a fight in the Organe Bar and Restaurant in 2014.
Chandrashekar, then a constable in the Vyalikaval police station, is said to have received Rs 5 lakh bribe to cover up this issue.
The then ACP of Seshadripuram sub-division Daneshwar Rao and Vyalikaval police inspector Shankarachari were accused of receiving the Rs 5 lakh through Chandrashekar on September 1, 2014.
The following day, they allegedly sought Rs 1 crore bribe from Mallikarjun in the name of the then Additional Commissioner of Police, Alok Kumar.
They had allegedly threatened to book Mallikarjun under serious criminal charges if he did not pay up within 48 hours.
Mallikarjun's complaint to the Lokayutka also contained audio recordings of his conversations with constable Chandrashekar.
Mallikarjun also accused that his relative Putte Gowda, sub-inspector in the Vyalikaval police station, was suspended to put pressure on him to pay the bribe.
Putte Gowda had also confirmed this allegation in his statement before the Lokayukta police.
After seven years, the Lokayukta police concluded the investigation and on March 19, 2022, filed a report in the court filing a 'B report' stating there was no evidence against Shankarachari and Daneshwar Rao.
Only constable Chandrashekar was named as accused in the FIR. Mallikarjun filed the protest memo over the 'B report' in March this year and the special court gave its judgment on December 13.
In its order, the court has said the Lokayukta police have not considered the statements of Putte Gowda.
The investigating officer has rejected Gowda's claims. But it was for the court to decide if the witness statements had to be rejected or accepted and not the investigating officer, the court said.
The court said that there was enough evidence in the case to proceed against the accused. It said the Lokayukta police report was not comprehensive and transparent.
The report itself contains enough evidence to issue summons and interrogate the accused, the court said rejecting the 'B report'.
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Congress terms NHRC chief selection process as “fundamentally flawed”
New Delhi: The Congress party has criticised the process for selecting the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson, describing it as “fundamentally flawed.” The dissenting remarks came a day after President Droupadi Murmu appointed Justice V. Ramasubramanian, a former Supreme Court judge, as the NHRC chairperson.
Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, expressed discontent with the selection process. They claimed the committee meeting, held on Wednesday, was a “predetermined exercise” that disregarded the tradition of mutual consultation and consensus.
In their dissent note, they highlighted the importance of fairness and impartiality in the selection process, particularly for a statutory body like the NHRC, which is responsible for safeguarding the human rights of all citizens, especially marginalised groups.
Gandhi and Kharge recommended the names of Justices (Retd.) Rohinton Fali Nariman and K.M. Joseph, citing their judicial expertise and commitment to constitutional values. They also proposed Justices (Retd.) S. Muralidhar and Akil Kureshi for NHRC membership, noting their contributions to advancing social justice and civil liberties. The opposition emphasised the need for inclusivity and merit in such appointments.
Justice Ramasubramanian’s appointment comes after the post remained vacant since June 1, following the end of Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra’s tenure. Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, a former advocate of the Telangana High Court, had been serving as acting chairperson.
Congress leader Manickam Tagore also supported the dissent, stating on social media that the process undermined the principles of fairness and accountability.
