HC issues notice to Hegde in defamation case

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday issued notice to former Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde, a former Supreme Court judge, in a defamation case filed by Superintendent of Police (Intelligence) Hemanth Nimbalkar.

The case, which was filed in March 2011, pertains to a raid conducted by the Lokayukta police in March 2009 on the office and residence of Nimbalkar when he was Superintendent of Police of Belgaum district, about 500 km from here.

Nimbalkar was alleged to have amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. Defending the raid by the anti-graft body, Hegde said that Nimbalkar had disproportionate assets valued around Rs.250 crore.

Nimbalkar petitioned the high court that even two years after the raid, the Lokayukta had failed to register any case against him till date or provide any evidence of amassing wealth illegally.

When a lower court in Bangalore dismissed a similar defamation case against Hegde June 28, 2010 on the grounds that the investigation against the police officer was in progress, Nimbalkar appealed in the high court saying his reputation was at stake and his public image had been tarnished.