Pranav B Prem

A Bengaluru special court has accepted the closure report submitted by the Karnataka Lokayukta Police, granting a clean chit to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a case alleging a bribe of ₹1.3 crore for appointments to the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC). The case, filed by BJP leader N.R. Ramesh, alleged quid pro quo in the nomination of L. Vivekananda as a steward and committee member of the BTC in 2015.

Court Finds No Grounds to Reject the Report

In its January 24 order, Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat held that the complainant failed to establish “sufficient grounds” to reject the Lokayukta’s closure report. The court noted that the police conducted a thorough preliminary inquiry and found no evidence of quid pro quo. The court’s order stated, “Mere acceptance or receipt of an illegal gratification without anything more would not make it an offence under Section 7 or Sections 13(1)(d), (i), and (ii) respectively of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Therefore, under Section 7 of the Act, in order to bring home the offence, there must be an offer which emanates from the bribe-giver which is accepted by the public servant.”

The Allegation

The complaint alleged that Siddaramaiah, during his tenure as Chief Minister, accepted a bribe of ₹1.3 crore from Vivekananda in exchange for nominating him to the honorary position at the BTC. Siddaramaiah contended that the money was a loan, which he declared in his election affidavit and income tax returns. The court found that the financial transaction had been disclosed in both parties’ official records, including Siddaramaiah’s asset declarations and Vivekananda’s income tax returns. The judgment noted, “If the accused No.1 had suppressed the fact of borrowing the sum either in his income tax returns or in his assets and liabilities report, it would have given room for suspicion. However, both parties disclosed the transaction, indicating its legitimate nature.”

Honorary Post and Lack of Material Evidence

The court examined the nature of the steward’s position, determining it to be an honorary post that did not involve monetary remuneration. Referring to Supreme Court judgments, the court highlighted that an honorary post cannot be equated with an “office of profit” under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The judgment also addressed the protest petition filed by the complainant, which alleged that the investigation was influenced by Siddaramaiah’s position as Chief Minister. The court dismissed these claims, stating that the Lokayukta Police had conducted their inquiry independently. “The materials collected by the Investigating Agency, including income tax filings, affidavits, and bank records, corroborate the claim that the money transfer was a loan and not an illegal gratification,” the court observed.

Delay in Filing the Complaint

The judgment took note of the eight-year delay in filing the complaint, questioning the complainant’s motives. 

No Evidence of Quid Pro Quo

Scrutinizing the process of Vivekananda’s nomination to the BTC, the court found no irregularities. The selection process involved recommendations from the Finance Department and followed established protocols. The court noted that Vivekananda had served in similar roles at the Mysore Race Club and BTC in the past, further affirming his eligibility. The judgment concluded that the evidence did not substantiate the allegations of corruption. “The appointment of accused No.2 as steward was not an act of quid pro quo for the alleged transfer of ₹1.3 crore,” the court declared.

Final Observations

The court emphasized that public servants must be held accountable but stressed the importance of concrete evidence in corruption cases. It reiterated that the Prevention of Corruption Act requires clear proof of demand, acceptance, or obtainment of illegal gratification for an offence to be established. With this ruling, Siddaramaiah has been exonerated of all allegations, and the Lokayukta Police’s clean chit stands affirmed.

Cause Title: N R Ramesh Vs Siddaramaiah and other

Case No: PCR No. 53/2022

Date: January-18-2025

Bench: Sri Santhosh Gajanan Bhat, Addl. City Civil & Sessions Judge

[Read/Download order]