1. The petitioner in this case is arraigned as accused no.7, along with six others, for offences punishable under Sections 8,9 & 10 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Hereinafter referred to as the ‘PC Act’, for brevity) and Sections 119, 120(B), 201, 202,217,385,419 read with Section 36 and 109 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Hereinafter referred to as the ‘IPC’, for brevity), in case number Spl.CC 429/2015 on the file of the court of the LXXVIII Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge and Special Judge for cases under the PC Act, Bangalore.

2. The case was initially registered for offences punishable under Sections 384,419 & 420 read with Section 120B of the IPC against one Ashwin Rao, the son of the petitioner and others and a charge sheet was filed against them on 15-9-2015. It is thereafter that the petitioner had been implicated and an additional charge sheet was filed against him on 3-8-2016, alleging offences as aforesaid.

3. The petitioner was the Karnataka State Lokayuktha. He assumed office on 13-2-2013. In the wake of the investigation and proceedings that followed in the above case, he had tendered his resignation on 7-12-2015.

4. The facts, as seen from the material available, have unfolded in the following manner. On 4-5-2015, one Ashok Kumar, one of the accused is said to have called up the complainant, M.N. Krishnamurthy, an Executive Engineer, Zilla Panchayath, Bangalore Urban, and is said to have told him to come to the Office of the Lokayuktha. It transpires that on the same day, Krishnamurthy is said to have gone there and had met Ashok Kumar. And it is alleged that a demand was made on him to pay a bribe of Rs.1 crore, if he was to be saved from a raid proposed to be conducted against him by the Lokayuktha, to unearth ill-gotten wealth.

5. On 6-5-2015, it transpires that Krishnamurthy was again called upon to go over to meet Ashok Kumar, which he is said to have ignored.

6. On 7-5-2015, Krishnamurthy is said to have met Smt. Sonia Narang, Superintendent of Police, Karnataka Lok Ayuktha, Bangalore City Division and had revealed the above incident. Smt. Narang is said to have suggested that he should make a complaint in writing. Krishnamurthy is said to have dithered and pleaded for time to think about it.

7. On 11-5-2015 Smt.Narang is said to have filed a report regarding Krishnamurthy's revelation to the Additional Director General of Police, Lokayuktha (ADGP). He, in turn, is said to have forwarded the report to the Registrar, Lokayuktha, one H.R. Deshpande, as on 12-5-2015.

8. It is only after the ADGP requested Deshpande by a letter dated 20-5-2015, that he is said to have placed the report of Narang before the Lokayuktha (Petitioner).

9. The Lokayuktha is said to have directed the Inspector General of Police, one P.Mohanty, to conduct an enquiry as regards the allegations by Krishnamurthy, as on 9-6-2015.

10. On 17-6-2015, a complaint is said to have been filed by one Janadhikara Sangharsha Parishad before the Upa Lokayuktha-II, Shri. Subash Adi, alleging that the Lokayuktha had not taken any prompt action on the report by Smt.Narang. On 23-6-2015, Shri Adi is said to have passed an order directing Smt.Narang to conduct an investigation in to the allegations by Krishnamurthy. This is said to have been brought to the attention of the Lokayuktha by Deshpande, the Registrar, on 26-6-2015. The Lokayuktha is said to have held a meeting with the Upa Lokayuktha - I, Shri S.B. Majage and is said to have decided to entrust the investigation, into the allegations by Krishnamurthy, to one Shri Chandrashekar, Joint Commissioner (Crime), Central Crime Branch, Bangalore. And is said to have directed Mohanty and Narang to hand over the investigation files to Chandrashekar. On 27-6-2015, Chandrashekar is said to have conveyed to the Lokayuktha, his inability to conduct the investigation on account of personal reasons.

11. On 28-6-2015, the Registrar, Deshpande, acting on the instructions of the Lokayuktha, is s