Lokayukta Seeks Governor Sanction to Prosecute MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan

The Karnataka Lokayukta police have sought Governor Thawarchand Gehlot’s sanction to prosecute Congress MLA and former minister Zameer Ahmed Khan in Bengaluru under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The anti-corruption agency submitted the formal request on July 9, seeking approval to file a chargesheet against the legislator in a disproportionate assets case.

The investigation stems from a First Information Report registered by the Lokayukta police in 2021. The case was initiated after the Enforcement Directorate shared information claiming that Khan had amassed Rs 87.44 crore of wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. The central agency had also written to the Karnataka Anti-Corruption Bureau in 2021, requesting a deeper probe.

While the initial reports suggested a higher amount, the subsequent Lokayukta investigation concluded that Khan had allegedly amassed Rs 26 crore of excess wealth. The probe specifically covers the assets accumulated by Khan during his tenure as a minister in the state government between 2013 and 2018.

If Governor Gehlot approves the prosecution sanction, the Lokayukta police will proceed with filing the chargesheet in court.

Last year, Khan petitioned the Karnataka High Court to dismiss the Lokayukta investigation. He argued that the police had failed to conduct a preliminary inquiry to verify the allegations. However, the High Court rejected his plea after the Lokayukta police argued that a preliminary probe was unnecessary because the investigation was launched based on a direct reference from a central agency.

Separately, on July 9, the Lokayukta ordered the transfer of IPS officer Shivaprakash Devaraju, who served as the Superintendent of Police for the Bangalore City-1 division and supervised the investigation against Khan. Lokayukta sources clarified that his transfer was unrelated to Khan's case, but was instead linked to an unauthorized trap operation conducted in the Vijayapura district.