FORMERPM'THREATENS' LOKAYUKTASLEUTHWITH 'DIRECON

 

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ADGP Gaonkar has informed his bosses of an 'intimidatory' phone call from 
Deve Gowda. The ex-PM allegedly complained of a biased probe against his 
eldest son, Balakrishne Gowda

Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and his eldest son H D Balakrishne 
Gowda, who was an officer with the Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) 
before he took voluntary retirement, allegedly made threatening phone calls 
to top Lokayukta sleuths recently. The Lokayukta police are investigating a 
disproportionate assets case against Balakrishne Gowda after the Lokayukta 
court ordered the registration of an FIR against him under the Prevention of 
Corruption Act.
In a note to acting Lokayukta Justice S B Majage and chief secretary S V 
Ranganath, Lokayukta ADGP Jeevan Kumar B Gaonkar has said Deve Gowda called 
him over the phone on Tuesday morning and used intimidatory language. He 
allegedly threatened Gaonkar with dire consequences if the probe against his 
son continued in the "manner" in which it is being conducted now.
According to sources, Gowda accused Lokayukta sleuths of playing into 
the hands of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, calling them "slaves" of 
the latter. Gowda allegedly accused the sleuths of conducting the probe in a 
partial manner. He reportedly objected to the manner in which the Lokayukta 
police had raided the premises of Balakrishne Gowda and his relatives in 
Mysore and elsewhere. Gowda allegedly warned Gaonkar that he would take up 
the matter with chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda if his son was harassed 
in the future.
After listening to Gowda's tirade, Gaonkar hung up and decided to bring 
the matter to the notice of the acting Lokayukta and the chief secretary. 
His letter to the two officials recounts the conversation with Gowda.
Two hours after Deve Gowda called Gaonkar, Balakrishne Gowda called up 
Lokayukta SP Shivashankar and allegedly spoke in a similar manner. According 
to sources, Shivashankar retorted by saying he had no business to talk like 
that. Shivashankar has informed Gaonkar and Justice Majage of the incident.
When contacted by Bangalore Mirror, Gaonkar confirmed that the former PM 
had called him and had taken objection to Lokayukta sleuths questioning some 
security personnel who work for his son. "I told him the Lokayukta police do 
not harass anybody. We don't function like policemen in a police station. We 
summon accused/suspects and witnesses and question them in a dignified 
manner. I said this to the former PM. Beyond this, I would not like to 
comment," Gaonkar said. Shivashankar too confirmed that Balakrishne Gowda 
had called him, but refrained from divulging any other details.
When Bangalore Mirror contacted Deve Gowda, he said, "Yes, I called 
Gaonkar and objected to the manner in which investigations are being 
conducted against my son. The Lokayukta police have no business harassing 
some security personnel working for my son. I will reveal the conspiracy 
behind the Lokayukta police's action at the right time. Former chief 
minister Yeddyurappa has come out of jail just now - if I reveal the name 
and other details of the security person, that person will be in trouble. At 
the right time I will call a media conference and reveal everything." Gowda 
denied that he had threatened the Lokayukta sleuths.
Meanwhile, the High Court has posted Balakrishne Gowda's petition 
seeking quashing of the FIR against him to November 16. A retired engineer 
from Shimoga-Bhadravathi (Yeddyurappa's home town), H N Balakrishna, has 
accused Balakrishne Gowda of amassing wealth to the tune of Rs 300 crore 
during his tenure as an officer, at a time when his family ruled the state. 
He has lodged a private complaint with the Lokayukta court, and judge 
Sudheendra Rao has ordered an investigation in the case.
The Deve Gowda camp sees this as the handiwork of the Yeddyurappa camp, 
while the latter maintains it is the former PM and his family who are 
lodging false complaints against Yeddyurappa through two advocates from 
Shimoga, Sirajin Basha and Balaraj.
The phone calls to the Lokayukta sleuths come a week after Gowda's son, 
former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, paid a visit to CID DGP Shankar M 
Bidari's home to enquire about an FIR pertaining to alleged illegalities in 
the execution of the Upper Krishna project during Deve Gowda's tenure as 
chief minister during 1994-95.
Commenting on the episode, a senior bureaucrat said, "It is unethical 
and improper on the part of the former PM and his family members to call 
Lokayukta sleuths when the matter is being probed under the supervision of 
an eminent judge like Sudheendra Rao. If they have objections to the manner 
in which investigations are being conducted, they have the liberty to 
approach the court and make a complaint. But calling up officers at this 
juncture amounts to intimidation."

-- Chetan R chetan,rudrappa@timesgroup.com