Karnataka Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao has stepped down from his post over an allegation that an extortion racket was being run from his office and involved his son. Rao had handed in his resignation on Monday, which was accepted by Governor Vajubhai R Vala on Tuesday, PTI reported.

The controversial Lokayukta, who had resisted the pressure he faced to resign following the allegation, had been on a long leave since last July after his son Ashwin Rao was arrested by the Special Investigation Team handling the case.

A motion seeking Rao’s removal, which was moved by the Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular) and supported by the ruling Congress, is pending before the Karnataka Assembly. Speaker Kagodu Thimappa will deliberate over it before referring the case to the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court to take it forward.

The issue came to light after Lokayukta Superintendent of Police Sonia Narang wrote to the Registrar of Karnataka Lokayukta about a complaint she had received. The complainant had alleged that someone from the Lokayukta office had demanded a bribe of Rs 1 crore to avoid a raid.