The
Hindu: Bangalore: Saturday, 08 November 2014.
Activists
fighting corruption have raised concerns about the Karnataka Lokayukta disclosing
the identity of the complainant in public, which, they claim, is detrimental to
the safety of the whistle-blower.
Lokayukta
authorities often mention the complainant’s name in the press release they
issue about the case.
Right to
Information (RTI) activists have now written to the Lokayukta seeking
discontinuance of this practice. Activist Wg. Cmdr. G.B. Athri (retd.), who
received a reply on the conviction rate in Lokayukta cases through an RTI
query, said disclosure of his identity was detrimental to his safety and
security.
This would
also weaken many Lokayukta trap cases, as the complainant would be often
threatened and he/she would turn hostile during trial, he said. This had led to
many complainants being co-opted during the trial, he said.
Another
activist, Ganesh B. Koundinya, said the safety of RTI activists was at peril
and disclosure of the complainant’s identity was adding to their woes.
Wg. Cmdr.
Athri said the practice was in violation of the Public Interest Disclosure and
Protection of Informer resolution, adopted by the Union government, which
provides for maintaining confidentiality of the identity of the complainant.
A senior
Lokayukta police official said in most of the trap cases, the complainant was
also the main witness for the demand of bribe and it was difficult to avoid
identifying him/her at least during the trial. However, he said the identity of
the complainant in other cases could be kept confidential.
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