Bengaluru: A sessions court in the city has held a Ballari resident guilty of defaming the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta, and sentenced him to six months of imprisonment with a fine of Rs 5,000.According to a Lokayukta press note, SG Shankar of Havinala Basanna compound complained to the Lokayukta in 2015, accusing the joint commissioner of muzurai department, Ballari, of misusing official power. “In his complaint, Shankar stated that the joint commissioner had illegally removed shops located close to a temple in Ballari,” the press note said.However, an inspection revealed that the joint commissioner had followed legal procedures while removing the shops. Saying everything was carried out legally, the Upa Lokayukta sent a letter to Shankar and closed the case.“But Shankar wrote two letters, one each to the Upa Lokayukta in 2022 and the Lokayukta in 2023, using defamatory words. Asking him why legal action should not be taken against him for such writings, the Lokayukta issued a legal notice to Shankar, to which he wrote another letter, again using defamatory words,” the press note said. Accordingly, a case was registered against Shankar.
