By TwoCircles.net Staff Writer,
Bangalore: Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde has resigned from the post more than a year before his term ends, citing the “callous attitude” of the state BJP governmen towards fighting corruption. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Karnataka Governor HR Bhardwaj have asked former Supreme Court judge Hegde to reconsider his decision.
However, according to latest reports coming in, Hegde has indicated he will not reconsider his decision. Hegde resigned on June 23. He took on the job of Lokayukta in August 2006. Lokayukta Hegde is known for his crusade against the mining lobby in Karnataka, which includes the powerful Reddy brothers, two of whom are ministers in the BJP government in the state.
He took on corrupt officers, conducted raids and booked even a ruling party BJP MLA Sampangi for taking bribes. But those booked were reinstated in the same post from which they were suspended without consulting him and they were sometimes even rewarded, say media reports.