By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) defending Lokayukta cases in the Karnataka High Court has quit in a huff. On Thursday, Venkatesh P Dalwai tendered his resignation, accusing the state government of going slow in corruption cases involving influential people and expressed worry over the Lokayukta not asserting its authority.

According to those in the know, Dalwai accused the government of trying to bail out corrupt bureaucrats and politicians by not preferring to appeal against their acquittal by the high court. Dalwai's move came just hours after the court discharged three politicians, including former minister Katta Subramanya

Naidu, in graft cases. Katta, whose name figured in the Rs 118-crore KIADB land scam, was acquitted on the ground that the narration of sequence did not indicate a direct demand or receipt of bribes by him.

Dalwai also mentioned how some appeals against lower ranking officials are cleared by the government in no time. For instance, government okayed filing of appeal against a Second Division Assistant trapped while accepting a bribe of Rs 500, four years after charges against him were quashed. However, it refused nod to file appeal against quashing of proceedings against Shamala Iqbal over supply of substandard food under a scheme to young children, teenaged girls and pregnant women. On the same ground, proceedings against two other officials Usha Patwari and Muniraju were quashed. As no appeal was filed after charges against Shamala were quashed, the two other officials too escaped, he wrote.

Dalwai's exit only adds to the number of top posts lying vacant in the Lokayukta. State government is yet to appoint Lokayukta, two IGPs—Lokayukta police and its Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing illegal mining. Even post of Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru Urban, is vacant. Besides the government withdrew police station powers to it, after creation of Anti-Corruption Bureau.

