Karnataka Lokayukta Shivraj Patil resigns

Stung by the the allegations against him,a visibly upset Patil announced his resignation at a news conference after describing the campaign against him as ‘malicious’.

“This malicious campaign has deeply hurt and pained me. In this uncongenial atmosphere I have deemed it appropriate to submit my resignation,” he said.

Patil,whose office is required to investigate land scams some of which involve high-profile politicians,himself faced allegations that he and his wife own three plots of land in Bangalore in violation of city bylaws. The politicians included former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa,who lost his job after Sanoth Hegde indicted him in connection with illegal mining in the state.

The allegations raised questions about the Lokayukta’s moral authority to continue as the anti-graft watchdog.

Stating that a “malicious campaign” had been carried out in the past few days against him,he said “shockingly instead of treating surrender of the site a step in the right direction,it was treated and campaigned as if it is an acceptance of the mistake and grave crime has been committed”.

Patil faced allegations of violating rules by securing the allotment of a 9,600 sq ft site at the Judicial Employees Layout in 1994 and his wife a 4,200 sq ft site at Nagavara from the Vyalikaval Housing Cooperative Society. His wife had surrendered the site on September 14 after the issue surfaced.

He had defended his action saying his wife Annapoorna had purchased the site through “outright sale” and that she was not an allottee as member of the Society.