DVS defends Gaonkars transfer

BANGALORE: Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Sunday said he would take appropriate action against those who threatened former Lokayukta ADGP Jeevan Kumar Gaonkar, after getting the report which he had sought from the home department on the issue.Addressing a press conference here, Gowda said Gaonkar in his letter to Chief Secretary S V Ranganath had explained his embarrassment to continue in office as he had been threatened by some politicians connected with sensitive cases being investigated by him. “Though he has not filed any complaint, I have decided to get the aspects of his letter investigated. I will initiate appropriate action once I get the report,” the chief minister said.In his letter, Gaonkar had alleged that former prime minister H D Deve Gowda had threatened him over phone over a disproportionate assets case against his elder son H D Balakrishne Gowda.Referring to Gaonkar’s transfer, the Chief Minister said the transfer was effected taking cognisance of his letter and not on the behest of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa as being speculated by the Opposition parties.“We did it only to avoid embarrassment to Gaonkar following Gowda episode. There is no truth in allegations that he was shifted to derail investigation against Yeddyurappa,” he added.Asked if Gaonkar had sought transfer because of the embarrassment caused to him, Gowda avoided a direct reply, and said: “He had explained everything in his letter and we have taken a decision based on the letter.” Gowda also gave a clean chit to senior IPS officer Satyanarayan Rao who replaced Gaonkar as the Lokayukta ADGP. “We appointed him only after checking all charges against him,” he added.The chief minister also defended the hundreds of transfers effected in home department, saying these transfers were necessitated due to the vacancies arising out of retirements and promotions. This apart, several vacancies were created following action against police officials who were named in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining, he added.