RAMAPRASAD R Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present Writ Petition is filed seeking for the following reliefs:

(2.) The relevant facts leading to the present Writ Petition are that while the Petitioner was working as a Sub Registrar at Mysuru North, Mysuru, one Siddamma presented a Confirmation Deed dtd. 7/12/2013 executed by his Highness Sri Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wodeyar (hereinafter referred to as the 'Maharaja') and the same was registered by the Petitioner. That due to the ill health of the Maharaja, the formalities were conducted in the ground floor of the office of the Sub Registrar and the Deed was registered. After the demise of Maharaja, his wife gave a complaint to the second Respondent - Lokayukta alleging that the Petitioner has registered the Confirmation Deed dtd. 7/12/2013 which is not executed by her husband - Maharaja. On receipt of the complaint, the second Respondent investigated the matter and pursuant to the final scrutiny note dtd. 28/10/2015 closed the complaint.

(3.) That on 30/4/2016 a complaint was given by one Sri H.S.Cheluvaraju, a former colleague of the Petitioner, to second Respondent. Upon being notified of the same, the Petitioner sent a reply dtd. 19/9/2018, inter alia detailing that there was no misconduct on his part. The second Respondent, not being satisfied with the reply of the Petitioner, submitted a report dtd. 20/8/2019 under Sec. 12(3) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, 1984 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Act') recommending initiation of enquiry and to entrust the same to the second Respondent. Based on the recommendation, the first Respondent passed an order under Rule 14-A of the Karnataka Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1957 (hereinafter referred to as the 'CCA Rules') entrusting the matter to the second Respondent, pursuant to which an enquiry officer was nominated who issued the articles of charge. Being aggrieved by the order of entrustment and issuance of articles of charge, the Petitioner filed Application No.5342/2020 before the Tribunal. By order dtd. 24/12/2020 the Tribunal dismissed the Application of the Petitioner. Being aggrieved, the present Writ Petition is filed.