Santosh Hegde is new Lokayukta in Karnataka

Retired Supreme Court Judge Justice N Santosh Hegde has been appointed as the new Lokayukta or provincial ombudsman of Karnataka to check the growing menace of corruption.

Santosh Hegde, who is currently serving as Chairperson of Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal in New Delhi, is expected to take charge as the Lokayukta by the end of this month.

Santosh Hegde, 66, will succeed Justice N Venkatachala, who carried out a series of raids against Government officials in different parts of Karnataka and unearthed billions of rupees of ill-gotten wealth amassed by them illegally.

Though there was immense pressure on Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to give Venkatachala a second term, the Government decided against extending his term citing the Lokayukta Act and decided to appoint Santosh Hegde as the new Lokayukta.

Santosh Hegde told reporters he would like to continue the good work of his predecessor. “But, I will do it in a different manner”, he said. Santosh Hegde too was in favour of the Government providing the institution of Lokayukta more powers to deal with corruption effectively. “For, instance, Lokayukta needs its own prosecutor like the CBI has”, he said.