K’taka Lokayukta official held for graft

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Sunday night arrested Karnataka Lokayukta joint commissioner Syed Riyaz for his alleged involvement in collecting bribes from state officials. "We have taken Riyaz into custody from a private hospital where he was taking treatment for blood pressure and diabetes," a senior investigation officer said on the condition of anonymity. As part of its probe into the graft charges against some unidentified officials in the watchdog, though the SIT team summoned Riyaz for interrogation, he delayed by extending leave his leave from July 17 to July 31 on return from pilgrimage to Makkah on July 19. "Preliminary investigation and interrogation of three suspected extortionists whom we arrested last week revealed that Riayz was one of the kingpins," the officer said.