Bangalore is the most corrupt district: report

Bangalore is the most corrupt district: report
The Hindu

Lokayukta N. Venkatachala has based his report on the number of corruption cases booked


BANGALORE: It is official. Bangalore is the most corrupt district in the country's fourth most corrupt State. A report prepared by the Lokayukta, N. Venkatachala, has put Bangalore Urban district on the top in the district-wise list of corruption cases booked.

The bad news comes close on the heels of the much talked about Transparency International list, where Karnataka was ranked fourth.

Mr. Venkatachala has prepared the report after studying the number of cases booked by the Lokayukta Police under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act between 2001 (the year he took charge) and June 2005. While 135 cases were booked in Bangalore (Urban) district, 22 cases were registered in Bangalore (Rural) district.

Of the other districts, Belgaum stood second with 42 cases; followed by Tumkur (35); Mysore (31); Kolar (22); Bellary and Dakshina Kannada (20); Bijapur, Chitradurga, Hassan and Mandya (17); Chikmagalur, Gulbarga and Dharwad (16); Shimoga (15); Raichur (14); Bagalkot and Davangere (10); Uttara Kannada and Kodagu (9); Bidar and Koppa (8); Haveri (6); Gadag (3); and Chamarajnagar (1). No cases were booked in Udupi district.

Implications

Asked about the implications of the study, Mr. Venkatachala said: "This definitely is an indication that more corruption cases are found in Bangalore, as this place is the centre of power. You do not find any case in Udupi as the people there desist from giving money to get their work done."

This report was prepared after the recent meeting of the Lokayukta with the Superintendents in-charge of various districts.

"I had asked them to complete investigation of all pending cases booked by them under the Prevention of Corruption Act, before booking fresh cases. This was because I had received complaints about some Lokayukta officials going slow on investigation, influenced by officials caught under the Act," Mr. Venkatachala told The Hindu.

Status of investigation

He said all the Superintendents had completed their investigation of all the cases booked under the Act and were now booking fresh cases. "As I am handicapped in using the powers under the Karnataka Loktayukta Act, I am making the Lokayukta Police to use the provisions of the Act to book cases of mal-administration," he said.

To strengthen the Lokayukta Police, Mr. Venkatachala said he had recommended posting officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police in all the 27 districts.