HC issues notice to Karnataka govt for appointing tainted officer as commissioner

Bengaluru: The high court here on Monday issued a notice to the state government over the appointment of an alleged tainted officer as the Commissioner of the Karnataka Information Commission (KIC).

The bench had passed the order after looking into the petition seeking quashing of the appointment of H.C. Sathyan as the Commissioner of the KIC, that was done by the previous government in 2022.

The petition contended that Sathyan was facing a probe in connection with the disproportionate assets case and was being investigated under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The petition maintained that when the inquiry was being conducted against Sathyan under the PC Act, he was appointed to the top post.

The bench headed by Justice Krishna S. Dixit ordered to issue the notice to Sathyan and the Government of Karnataka. The petition was submitted by the Charitable Trust Committee for Public Accountability based in Bengaluru.

The petition claimed that Sathyan was an employee of the Karnataka Road Transport Corporation. A committee headed by then Chief Minister, opposition leader and cabinet ministers had selected him for the post on February 14, 2022.

The Lokayukta police had already registered a criminal case against Sathyan and the case is in the court. The petition claims that Satyan had concealed the matter in his application.