Karnataka Lokayukta Shivraj Patil resigns over housing scam

Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Shivraj Patil has resigned, hardly a month after assuming charge, in the wake of the controversial acquisition of high value properties in Bangalore in violation of state laws governing co-operative housing societies.

The state ombudsman sent his resignation letter to Governor HR Bhardwaj today.

Patil, who replaced Justice Santosh Hegde as Karnataka's Lokayukta, said he was deeply hurt by the malicious campaign against him.

"The malicious campaign has deeply hurt and pained me. In this uncongenial atmosphere I have deemed it appropriate to submit my resignation."

He said such propaganda will only deter honest people from taking up such assignments, "which would become a great disservice to the fight against corruption."

Justice Patil and his wife were reported to have acquired two separate housing plots in two housing cooperatives in Bangalore in contravention of rules governing ownership in housing co-operatives.

Justice Santosh Hegde, who was the state Lokayukta prior to Justice Patil taking over charge, had delivered a strong report on illegal mining that indicted BS Yeddyurappa and other politicians for illegal mining.

While Yeddyurappa was forced to resign as chief minister of the state some pf his ministers are in jail for undertaking illegal mining acvtivities in the state, flouting environment laws.