The high court on Tuesday granted bail to Syed Riyaz, suspended joint commissioner and PRO at the Lokayukta, and three other accused in relation to the first complaint by MN Krishnamurthy, executive engineer, Bengaluru Urban zilla panchayat.
The bail will be effective from September 16 as the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the allegations of extortion and corruption within the Lokayukta, sought a week’s time to complete the probe. “Since SIT sought for a week’s time to complete investigation and file the chargesheet, I am inclined to grant bail to the accused from September 16,” Justice L Narayana Swamy observed while allowing bail pleas filed by Riyaz, MB Sreenivasa Gowda, Shankare Gowda and Ashok Kumar.
The complaint was filed on July 1. The special Lokayukta court rejected the bail petitions of Riyaz, Shankare Gowda and Ashok Kumar on August 14.
Riyaz’s counsel said the arrest is illegal as there are no reasons cited for it, and the belated FIR lodged by Lokayukta police does not disclose any offence. It was also clai8med the offences alleged against him – Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, sections 384 ,419 and 420 of IPC – are all bailable ones as the maximum period of sentence does not exceed beyond 3-7 years.
Counsel for SIT argued that Riyaz is involved in other cases and releasing him would hamper the probe as he may use his influence to deter witnesses.
